Explore the Family Name Nesbitt
The meaning of Nesbitt
Scottish (Borders), northern English, and northern Irish: habitational name from Nesbit (part of Nesbit and Thorpe Bulmer, in Durham), Nesbit in Doddington or Nesbitt in Stamfordham (both in Northumberland), or Nesbit in Edrom (Berwickshire). All of these placenames appear to derive from Old English nēs or nesu ‘nose’, in the sense ‘promontory’ or ‘projecting piece of land in the bend of a river’, + Old English byht ‘bend, curve (in a river)’. This surname has been established in Ireland since the early 17th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nesbitt in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Nesbitt saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 2584th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to 2717th place, representing a 5.15% decline. Despite this decrease in rank, the actual number of individuals bearing this surname increased from 12,878 in 2000 to 13,248 in 2010, marking a modest growth of 2.87%. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 4.77 in 2000 to 4.49 in 2010, a 5.87% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,584 | #2,717 | -5.15% |
| Count | 12,878 | 13,248 | 2.87% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.77 | 4.49 | -5.87% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nesbitt
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Nesbitt shifted somewhat between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the majority of Nesbitts identified as White in both years (62.57% in 2000 and 59.74% in 2010), there was a slight decrease of 4.52% over the decade. The percentage of those identifying as Black saw a small increase, from 34.07% in 2000 to 35.03% in 2010. Meanwhile, the proportions of those who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native both saw more substantial increases, from 0.41% to 0.54% and 0.26% to 0.35% respectively. Those identifying as Hispanic doubled from 1.28% to 2.11%, and those reporting two or more races rose from 1.40% to 2.23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.57% | 59.74% | -4.52% |
| Black | 34.07% | 35.03% | 2.82% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 2.23% | 59.29% |
| Hispanic | 1.28% | 2.11% | 64.84% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.54% | 31.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.35% | 34.62% |
Nesbitt 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 Nesbitt is British & Irish, which comprises 51.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.2%) and Scandinavian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.8% |
| French & German | 20.2% |
| Scandinavian | 4.5% |
| Other | 23.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Nesbitt
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 Nesbitt have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
What Nesbitt 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 Nesbitt is R-DF25, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-DF25 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF19 and R-Z19, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Steele, Lamb, Bryant, Barber, Mitchell, May, Lawrence, Butler, Smith, Benson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nesbitt 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 Nesbitt 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.
"Nesbitt" Surname 39.8%
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.
"Nesbitt" Surname 31.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nesbitt" Surname 19.8%
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.
"Nesbitt" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nesbitt?
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 Nesbitt are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition