Explore the Family Name Patton

The meaning of Patton

English, northern Irish, and Scottish: from the Middle English and Older Scottish personal name Patun, Paton, an Old French diminutive of Pat(e), a pet form of Patrick. Compare Patrick and Pattinson. History: The American general George Patton (1885–1945) was born in San Gabriel, CA, into a family with a long military tradition. His earliest American ancestor, Robert Patton, had emigrated from Scotland to VA c.1770.

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

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

The surname Patton has shown a slight decline in popularity, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Patton was ranked 464th most popular surname, but it dropped to 506th position by 2010 – a decrease of 9.05%. However, the number of individuals with the Patton surname increased from 64,772 in 2000 to 66,293 in 2010, reflecting an increase of 2.35%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a drop of 6.41% over the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#464#506-9.05%
Count64,77266,2932.35%
Proportion per 100k24.0122.47-6.41%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Patton

When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reflects a diverse spread for the surname Patton. There has been an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native between 2000 and 2010. The largest percentage change was observed among those identifying as Hispanic, with an increase of 64.86%. Meanwhile, the proportion of individuals with the Patton surname identifying as White saw a small decrease of 3.32%, still making this ethnic group the majority at 73.05% in 2010.

20002010Change
White75.56%73.05%-3.32%
Black20.18%20.9%3.57%
Hispanic1.48%2.44%64.86%
Two or More Races1.62%2.25%38.89%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.78%0.88%12.82%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.39%0.49%25.64%

Patton 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 Patton is British & Irish, which comprises 55.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.1%) and Eastern European (3.4%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish55.1%
French & German23.1%
Eastern European3.4%
Other18.4%
Patton

Possible origins of the surname Patton

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom86.90%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom86.70%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom86.70%
Merseyside, United Kingdom86.50%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom86.30%

What Patton 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 Patton is R-CTS2509, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS2509 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-FGC11293 and R-S660, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rodgers, Patten, Moore, Marshall, Smith, Lambert, Marsh, White, Brown, Thompson.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Patton surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

pattonPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI

The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.

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 Patton 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

Patton

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Patton" Surname 39.2%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Patton

Misophonia

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

"Patton" Surname 28.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Patton

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Patton" Surname 21.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Patton

Migraine

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

"Patton" Surname 18.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Patton?

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 Patton 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%