Explore the Family Name Paulus

The meaning of Paulus

German, Walloon, Flemish, Dutch, and French (mainly Alsace, Lorraine, and Ardennes): from the Latin form of the personal name Paul. Compare Bowlus and Paullus.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Paulus saw a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 6317th most common surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to the 6551st position, marking a change of -3.7%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 4967 in 2000 to 5171 in 2010, which is a 4.11% increase. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 1.84 in 2000 to 1.75 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#6,317#6,551-3.7%
Count4,9675,1714.11%
Proportion per 100k1.841.75-4.89%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Paulus

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Paulus also shifted from 2000 to 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. While the majority of those carrying this surname identified as White (92.11% in 2010, down from 94.87% in 2000), there were increases in other ethnicities. Asian/Pacific Islander representation grew from 1.23% to 2.28%, and those identifying as Hispanic increased from 1.77% to 2.75%. People who identified with Two or more races saw a slight increase from 1.17% to 1.22%. The percentage of Black individuals with this surname also rose from 0.79% to 1.37%. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation also grew modestly from 0.18% to 0.27%.

20002010Change
White94.87%92.11%-2.91%
Hispanic1.77%2.75%55.37%
Asian/Pacific Islander1.23%2.28%85.37%
Black0.79%1.37%73.42%
Two or More Races1.17%1.22%4.27%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.18%0.27%50%

Paulus 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 Paulus is French & German, which comprises 44.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.8%) and Eastern European (6.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
French & German44.1%
British & Irish28.8%
Eastern European6.4%
Other20.7%
Paulus

Possible origins of the surname Paulus

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom64.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom64.80%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom64.80%
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom64.00%
West Midlands, United Kingdom64.00%

What Paulus 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 Paulus is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include I-DF29 and R-Z19, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gale, Hartman, Donofrio, Maier, Goebel, Weber, Ulrich, Miller, Vogel, Durham.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Paulus surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

paulusPaternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304

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 Paulus 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

Paulus

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Paulus" Surname 45.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Paulus

Misophonia

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

"Paulus" Surname 32.4%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Paulus

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Paulus" Surname 12.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Paulus

Cat Allergy

An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.

"Paulus" Surname 57.1%

23andMe Users 36.7%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Paulus?

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 Paulus 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

French & German 60.8%

23andMe Users 57.2%