Explore the Family Name Post
The meaning of Post
1. North German, Danish, and Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived near a post or pole (Middle Low German, Middle Dutch post, from Latin postis), presumably one of some significance, e.g. serving as a landmark or boundary, or a habitational name from any of several places in northern Germany called Post, probably from this word. 2. North German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for a messenger or mailman, from post ‘mail’. 3. Probably also an altered form of German Pfost.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Post in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Post" saw a minor shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, "Post" ranked 1,406 among all surnames recorded in the census. By 2010, its rank had dropped to 1,530, marking a decrease of 8.82%. Yet the total count of individuals with the surname increased slightly over this period, from 23,155 to 23,458, an increase of 1.31%. The proportion of people named Post per 100,000 also declined by 7.34% during this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,406 | #1,530 | -8.82% |
| Count | 23,155 | 23,458 | 1.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.58 | 7.95 | -7.34% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Post
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals several shifts for the surname "Post". The largest ethnic identity associated with the name remained White, though it decreased from 95.10% in 2000 to 93.77% in 2010. Hispanic representation among those with the surname witnessed the most significant increase, rising by 58.27%, albeit from a smaller base of 1.27% in 2000 to 2.01% in 2010. The proportions of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also grew by 15.79% and 16.67% respectively, while the proportion of those identifying as Black remained nearly stable, increasing by just 0.79%. Those identifying with two or more races under the name "Post" increased by 31.40%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.1% | 93.77% | -1.4% |
| Hispanic | 1.27% | 2.01% | 58.27% |
| Two or More Races | 1.21% | 1.59% | 31.4% |
| Black | 1.26% | 1.27% | 0.79% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 0.7% | 16.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.57% | 0.66% | 15.79% |
Post 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 Post is British & Irish, which comprises 40.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.6%) and Eastern European (6.9%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 40.9% |
| French & German | 28.6% |
| Eastern European | 6.9% |
| Other | 23.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Post
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 Post have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.10% |
What Post 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 Post is R-L48, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L48 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M167 and R-S16361, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cox, Burrows, Hacker, George, North, Archer, Hunter, Smith, Wilson, Baker.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Post surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
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.
What do people with the surname Post 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.
"Post" Surname 47.0%
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.
"Post" Surname 22.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Post" Surname 17.7%
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.
"Post" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Post?
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 Post are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition