Explore the Family Name Markus
The meaning of Markus
1. German, Dutch, and Swedish; Hungarian (Márkus): from the personal name Markus, from Latin Marcus (see Mark). This form of the surname is also found elsewhere in (central) Europe, e.g. in Czechia, Slovakia, and Croatia. 2. Germanized form (variant of Markusch) of Sorbian Markuš: from the personal name Markuš, a cognate of 1 above. 3. Slovenian, Croatian, and Slovak (Markuš): from an archaic vernacular form of the Latin personal name Marcus (see Mark). 4. Arabic: variant of Markos 5.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Markus in the United States?
The surname Markus has seen a slight shift in its standing in the United States based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked as the 8497th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 8968th position, marking a decrease of 5.54%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Markus surname increased from 3572 to 3649 between 2000 and 2010, showing an increase of 2.16%. Consequently, the proportion of people named Markus per 100k citizens decreased by 6.06%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,497 | #8,968 | -5.54% |
| Count | 3,572 | 3,649 | 2.16% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.32 | 1.24 | -6.06% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Markus
As for the ethnic identity linked to the surname Markus, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some interesting trends. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and carrying the Markus name saw a significant increase of 57.53%, moving from 0.73% in 2000 to 1.15% in 2010. A notable rise was also observed among Hispanics, which surged from 2.44% in 2000 to 3.97% in 2010, showing a whopping 62.70% change. The Markus surname continued to be predominantly associated with those identifying as White, though their proportion declined slightly by 2.25% over the decade. The representation among those identifying as Black and those identifying with two or more races increased modestly. However, American Indian and Alaskan Native representation saw a decrease of 32.14% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.2% | 92.08% | -2.25% |
| Hispanic | 2.44% | 3.97% | 62.7% |
| Two or More Races | 1.46% | 1.48% | 1.37% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.73% | 1.15% | 57.53% |
| Black | 0.9% | 1.12% | 24.44% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.28% | 0.19% | -32.14% |
Markus ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Markus is French & German, which comprises 29.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Ashkenazi Jewish (22.3%) and British & Irish (20.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Greek & Balkan, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 29.1% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 22.3% |
| British & Irish | 20.1% |
| Other | 28.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Markus
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Markus have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Germany.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 53.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 53.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 53.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 53.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 51.40% |
What Markus haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Markus is R-P312, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P312 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-M304 and I-M170, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Belmont, Bill, Kaminsky, Strasser, Khalsa, Kellner, Bard, Emanuel, Bahr, Leopold.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Markus surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Markus have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Markus" Surname 38.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Markus" Surname 36.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Markus" Surname 15.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Markus" Surname 22.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Markus?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Markus are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition