Explore the Family Name Marra
The meaning of Marra
1. Italian (southern): habitational name from any of the places so called in central and southern Italy, from marra ‘heap of stones’. 2. Italian, Galician, and Portuguese: from marra ‘hoe’, in Galician and Portuguese also ‘big mallet for breaking stones’ (from Latin marra), presumably a metonymic occupational name for one who made such implements or for one who used them. 3. English and Scottish: variant of Marrow. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Antonio, Rocco, Carmine, Salvatore, Enrico, Pasquale, Sal, Vincenzo, Alessandro, Gaetano, Marino.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Marra in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Marra has slightly increased over the decade between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Marra was ranked as the 5740th most common surname, while by 2010, it had risen to the 5719th position, representing a marginal increase of 0.37%. The count of individuals with this surname also rose from 5,526 in 2000 to 6,065 in 2010, a growth rate of 9.75%. The proportion of people named Marra per 100,000 population remained nearly steady at 2.05 in 2000 and 2.06 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,740 | #5,719 | 0.37% |
| Count | 5,526 | 6,065 | 9.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.05 | 2.06 | 0.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Marra
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Marra also saw some shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2010, 90.77% of Marras identified as White, a slight decrease from 93.65% in 2000. The proportion of Marras identifying as Hispanic increased from 3.38% to 5.42%, while those claiming Asian/Pacific Islander heritage increased substantially from 0.69% to 2.18%. The proportion of Marras identifying as Black or with two or more races declined, going from 0.83% to 0.71% and 1.36% to 0.74% respectively. A small but notable increase was observed among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, doubling from 0.09% in 2000 to 0.18% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.65% | 90.77% | -3.08% |
| Hispanic | 3.38% | 5.42% | 60.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.69% | 2.18% | 215.94% |
| Two or More Races | 1.36% | 0.74% | -45.59% |
| Black | 0.83% | 0.71% | -14.46% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.09% | 0.18% | 100% |
Marra 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 Marra is Italian, which comprises 41.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (21.4%) and French & German (14.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 41.9% |
| British & Irish | 21.4% |
| French & German | 14.1% |
| Other | 22.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Marra
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 Marra have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 64.80% |
| Calabria, Italy | 64.10% |
| Campania, Italy | 62.70% |
| Abruzzo, Italy | 58.50% |
| Apulia, Italy | 54.90% |
What Marra 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 Marra is J-L283, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L283 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and G-CTS4803, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Uribe, Costa, Hoffmann, Romano, Wolf, Conte, Wolfe, Lepore, Gomes, Link.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Marra surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Marra 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.
"Marra" Surname 48.6%
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.
"Marra" Surname 22.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Marra" Surname 25.9%
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.
"Marra" Surname 15.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Marra?
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 Marra are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition