Explore the Family Name Pringle

The meaning of Pringle

Scottish and English (Northumbria): habitational name from a place near Stow Roxburghshire, formerly called Hop(p)ringle, from Middle English hop ‘enclosed valley’ + a name of Old Norse origin composed of the byname Prjónn ‘pin, peg’ + an unidentified second element.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Pringle saw a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 2,664 in terms of frequency, but dropped to 2,750 by 2010, marking a decrease of 3.23%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 12,460 in 2000 to 13,115 in 2010, representing a growth of 5.26%. The proportion per 100k also decreased slightly from 4.62 to 4.45 during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#2,664#2,750-3.23%
Count12,46013,1155.26%
Proportion per 100k4.624.45-3.68%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pringle

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pringle also showed some changes based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (57.32% in 2000, declining to 54.53% in 2010), there was a significant representation of Black ethnicity, which saw an increase from 38.41% in 2000 to 39.29% in 2010. Notably, there was a considerable rise in those identifying as Hispanic, from 1.62% in 2000 to 2.82% in 2010, a change of 74.07%. Similarly, there was an increase in the percentage of people identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.38% in 2000 to 0.59% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or belonging to two or more races also increased marginally.

20002010Change
White57.32%54.53%-4.87%
Black38.41%39.29%2.29%
Hispanic1.62%2.82%74.07%
Two or More Races1.78%2.25%26.4%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.38%0.59%55.26%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.49%0.52%6.12%

Pringle 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 Pringle is British & Irish, which comprises 49.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.0%) and Nigerian (4.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Spanish & Portuguese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish49.3%
French & German19.0%
Nigerian4.4%
Other27.3%
Pringle

Possible origins of the surname Pringle

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Glasgow City, United Kingdom75.60%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom75.60%
Greater London, United Kingdom75.60%
Merseyside, United Kingdom75.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom74.80%

What Pringle 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 Pringle is R-M405, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M405 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wyman, Stamper, Kellum, Eastman, Bethel, Matlock, Northrop, Nye, Mixon, Colton.

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

pringlePaternal 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 Pringle 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

Pringle

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Pringle" Surname 38.9%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Pringle

Misophonia

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

"Pringle" Surname 28.9%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Pringle

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Pringle" Surname 23.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Pringle

Migraine

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

"Pringle" Surname 15.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Pringle?

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 Pringle 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%