Explore the Family Name Martins
The meaning of Martins
1. Portuguese: patronymic from the personal name Martim, from Latin Martinus (see Martin). 2. Dutch and German: patronymic from the personal name Martin. In North America, this surname is also an altered form of the more common Dutch and North German variant Martens. 3. English: variant of Martin, with post-medieval excrescent -s. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Carlos, Fernando, Francisco, Mario, Luis, Armando, Alvaro, Ana, Marcelo, Sergio. Portuguese Joaquim, Joao, Paulo, Agostinho, Henrique, Afonso, Batista, Ademir, Amadeu, Anabela, Caetano, Heitor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Martins in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Martins" significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 3602nd most common surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 3050th position, marking a change of 15.32%. The actual count of people with this surname also rose from 9062 in 2000 to 11751 in 2010, a growth of 29.67%. This shift is further emphasized by the proportion per 100k rate, which increased by 18.45% during the same time frame.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,602 | #3,050 | 15.32% |
| Count | 9,062 | 11,751 | 29.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.36 | 3.98 | 18.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Martins
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Martins" has also seen some changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (78.89%), a number that increased slightly to 81.28% in 2010. The next largest group was those who identified with two or more ethnicities, which decreased from 9.60% in 2000 to 2.04% in 2010. However, sizable increases were seen within the Black and Asian/Pacific Islander groups, with the former rising from 4.69% to 8.15%, and the latter nearly doubling from 0.81% to 1.65%. The percentage of people identifying as Hispanic rose modestly from 5.62% to 6.31%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw an increase from 0.40% to 0.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.89% | 81.28% | 3.03% |
| Black | 4.69% | 8.15% | 73.77% |
| Hispanic | 5.62% | 6.31% | 12.28% |
| Two or More Races | 9.6% | 2.04% | -78.75% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 1.65% | 103.7% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.56% | 40% |
Martins 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 Martins is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 63.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (7.8%) and French & German (6.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Eastern European, Nigerian, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 63.7% |
| British & Irish | 7.8% |
| French & German | 6.2% |
| Other | 22.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Martins
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 Martins have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 76.20% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 76.00% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 74.70% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 73.10% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 69.90% |
What Martins 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 Martins is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M183 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lopes, Alves, Ribeiro, Teixeira, Pereira, Souza, Nunes, Carvalho, Oliveira, Ferreira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Martins surname are: A2, H1, 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 Martins 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.
"Martins" Surname 32.0%
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.
"Martins" Surname 38.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Martins" Surname 11.9%
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.
"Martins" Surname 13.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Martins?
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 Martins are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition