Explore the Family Name Putnam
The meaning of Putnam
English (Middlesex and Buckinghamshire): habitational name from either of two places, in Hertfordshire and Surrey, called Puttenham, from the genitive case of the Old English byname Putta, meaning ‘kite’ (the bird) + Old English hām ‘homestead’. History: John Putnam emigrated from England to Salem, MA, before 1641, and established a family that was still prominent in Massachusetts four generations later, including the revolutionary war soldier Israel Putnam (1718–90) and his cousin Rufus Putnam (1738–1824), also a soldier, one of the first settlers in OH.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Putnam in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Putnam has seen a slight shift in the past decade. In 2000, Putnam was ranked 1831st in terms of frequency, but by 2010 it had slid to 1971st place, representing a 7.65% decrease in ranking. However, the actual count of people with the Putnam surname slightly increased from 17,990 in 2000 to 18,340 in 2010, showing an increase of 1.95%. The proportion of individuals carrying the Putnam name per 100k also decreased from 6.67 to 6.22 during this period, reflecting a -6.75% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,831 | #1,971 | -7.65% |
| Count | 17,990 | 18,340 | 1.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.67 | 6.22 | -6.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Putnam
When we look at the ethnic identity associated with the Putnam surname, also based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there are some noticeable changes over the same decade. The percentage of Putnams identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 33.33%, and those reporting two or more races grew by 36.45%. Interestingly, the majority white ethnicity decreased slightly from 95.38% to 93.78%, a -1.68% change. The representation of Putnams identifying as Hispanic saw a significant jump, increasing by 66.39%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Black Putnams rose slightly by 7.43%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 27.78%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.38% | 93.78% | -1.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.22% | 2.03% | 66.39% |
| Black | 1.48% | 1.59% | 7.43% |
| Two or More Races | 1.07% | 1.46% | 36.45% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.68% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.46% | 27.78% |
Putnam 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 Putnam is British & Irish, which comprises 54.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.0%) and Eastern European (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.0% |
| French & German | 26.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.8% |
| Other | 15.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Putnam
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 Putnam have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.90% |
What Putnam 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 Putnam is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Messenger, Chamberlin, Vigil, Bair, Ashcraft, Garza, Duvall, Brantley, Hankins, Starnes.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Putnam 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 Putnam 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.
"Putnam" Surname 38.7%
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.
"Putnam" Surname 21.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Putnam" Surname 15.9%
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.
"Putnam" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Putnam?
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 Putnam are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition