Explore the Family Name Martel
The meaning of Martel
1. French and English (Guernsey): nickname for a forceful person or perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a smith, from Old French martel ‘hammer’ (also recorded in late Middle English), from Late Latin martellus. The reference may be to the martel de fer, the iron hammer or mace of medieval warfare, as had been the case with Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne, who gained his byname from the force with which he struck down his enemies, the Saracens, in the battle of Tours (Poitiers) in 732. 2. English (Guernsey): from the Middle English and Old French personal name Martel, a pet form of Martin. 3. German (also Märtel): from a pet form of the personal name Martin. Compare Mertel. 4. Spanish and Portuguese: from Portuguese martelo, Old Spanish martel ‘hammer’ (see also 1 above), or an Iberianized form of the Italian cognate Martello. Some characteristic forenames: French Lucien, Andre, Armand, Normand, Marcel, Adrien, Aime, Benoit, Laurent, Yvan, Jacques, Michel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Martel in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Martel" saw a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Martel was ranked 3,908 in popularity, with 8,362 individuals bearing this surname, equating to a proportion of approximately 3.1 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the name had slipped slightly in rank to 3,925 despite an increase in count to 9,056. This represented a proportional decrease to about 3.07 per 100,000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,908 | #3,925 | -0.44% |
| Count | 8,362 | 9,056 | 8.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.1 | 3.07 | -0.97% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Martel
Delving into the ethnicity of the Martels based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, a notable diversity is evident. In 2000, the largest ethnic identity associated with the surname was White at 81.73%, followed by Hispanic at 14%. Over the next decade, the percentage of Whites dropped to 76.46% while the percentage of Hispanics increased to 18.31%. The Asian/Pacific Islander group also saw significant growth, increasing from 0.48% to 1.35%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black rose from 1.67% to 1.90%, and the group identifying as two or more races shifted from 1.16% to 1.24%. However, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a decrease, going from 0.96% to 0.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.73% | 76.46% | -6.45% |
| Hispanic | 14% | 18.31% | 30.79% |
| Black | 1.67% | 1.9% | 13.77% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 1.35% | 181.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.16% | 1.24% | 6.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.96% | 0.75% | -21.87% |
Martel 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 Martel is British & Irish, which comprises 36.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (30.8%) and Spanish & Portuguese (9.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Indigenous American, Italian, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 36.4% |
| French & German | 30.8% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 9.3% |
| Other | 23.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Martel
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 Martel have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 61.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 61.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 61.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 60.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 60.90% |
What Martel 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 Martel is R-S1491, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S1491 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Martell, Brammer, Crutchfield, Ott, Hawkins, Weber, Dennis, Knight, Ackerman, Nash.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Martel surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Martel 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.
"Martel" Surname 50.8%
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.
"Martel" Surname 34.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Martel" Surname 25.0%
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.
"Martel" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Martel?
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 Martel are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition