Explore the Family Name Moorehead
The meaning of Moorehead
Irish (eastern Ulster): variant of Muirhead.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Moorehead in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Moorehead saw a shift in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Moorehead was ranked as the 6712th most popular surname, but this ranking fell slightly to 6995 by 2010, marking a decrease of 4.22%. However, the overall count of individuals with the surname Moorehead increased marginally from 4639 in 2000 to 4791 in 2010 – an increase of 3.28%. Despite this rise in the total count, the proportion of people named Moorehead per 100,000 residents dipped by 5.81%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,712 | #6,995 | -4.22% |
| Count | 4,639 | 4,791 | 3.28% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.72 | 1.62 | -5.81% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Moorehead
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Moorehead. Between 2000 and 2010, there were changes within several ethnic groups. The representation of Asian/Pacific Islanders and those identifying as two or more races both increased by approximately 38%. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased by 3.36%, while the Hispanic representation almost doubled with a growth rate of 78.34%. The Black community saw a slight increase of 0.74%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native category also exhibited an increase of 8.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67.34% | 65.08% | -3.36% |
| Black | 28.3% | 28.51% | 0.74% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.8% | 78.34% |
| Two or More Races | 1.55% | 2.15% | 38.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.75% | 0.81% | 8% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.65% | 38.3% |
Moorehead 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 Moorehead is British & Irish, which comprises 54.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.3%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.9% |
| French & German | 21.3% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 20.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Moorehead
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 Moorehead have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| South Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
What Moorehead 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 Moorehead is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L664 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morehead, Maynard, Justice, Reece, Rowlands, Maxwell, Miley, Prince, Moorhead, Murdoch.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Moorehead surname are: H1, H, L3. 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 Moorehead 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.
"Moorehead" Surname 28.0%
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.
"Moorehead" Surname 37.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Moorehead" Surname 23.3%
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.
"Moorehead" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Moorehead?
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 Moorehead are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition