Explore the Family Name Mcfarlane

The meaning of Mcfarlane

Scottish and northern Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Pharthaláin, a patronymic from the personal name Parthalán, which is most probably from Latin Bartholomaeus (see Bartholomew). Parthalán, regularly shortened in speech to Parlán, has also been Anglicized as Bartlett. Compare McPartland. History: McFarlane is a Scottish clan originally associated with Arrochar on Loch Long. — Robert McFarlane came to NY in 1835 and was editor of Scientific American magazine (1848–65).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Mcfarlane in the United States?

According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname McFarlane has increased over the years. In 2000, it was ranked as the 3995th most popular surname in the United States with approximately 8,160 individuals bearing the name. However, by 2010, McFarlane's ranking rose to 3795, reflecting a growth rate of 5.01%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew to 9,319, showing a significant increase of 14.2% within that decade.

20002010Change
Rank#3,995#3,7955.01%
Count8,1609,31914.2%
Proportion per 100k3.023.164.64%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mcfarlane

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a diverse background for individuals with the surname McFarlane. As of 2010, the largest ethnic identity associated with the surname was Black, representing 38.00% of McFarlanes, an increase from 32.51% in 2000. The second largest group was White, although its proportion decreased from 60.74% in 2000 to 53.24% in 2010. Other notable increases were observed in the Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic groups, which grew by 52.5% and 46.15% respectively. The proportion of McFarlanes identifying with two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories also saw slight increases.

20002010Change
White60.74%53.24%-12.35%
Black32.51%38%16.89%
Hispanic3.64%5.32%46.15%
Two or More Races2.32%2.36%1.72%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.4%0.61%52.5%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.39%0.47%20.51%

Mcfarlane 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 Mcfarlane is British & Irish, which comprises 51.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (14.2%) and Nigerian (8.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish51.7%
French & German14.2%
Nigerian8.1%
Other26.0%
Mcfarlane

Possible origins of the surname Mcfarlane

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 Mcfarlane have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom76.60%
Greater London, United Kingdom76.60%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom76.60%
Merseyside, United Kingdom76.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom75.50%

What Mcfarlane 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 Mcfarlane is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S764 and R-S660, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Macfarlane, Sweeney, Mclaren, Mcalister, Mcfarland, Christie, Mcpherson, Mcallister, Griffin, Laing.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mcfarlane surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

mcfarlanePaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your 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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Mcfarlane 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

Mcfarlane

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Mcfarlane" Surname 41.2%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Mcfarlane

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Mcfarlane" Surname 28.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Mcfarlane

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Mcfarlane" Surname 19.1%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Mcfarlane

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Mcfarlane" Surname 16.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Mcfarlane?

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 Mcfarlane are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%