Explore the Family Name Raven
The meaning of Raven
1. English: from the Middle English personal name Raven (Old Norse Hrafn, Old English Hræfn, both meaning ‘raven’) or else a nickname from this word, probably denoting a dark-haired man. 2. English: occasionally perhaps also a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn distinguished by the sign of a raven (see 1 above). Surnames derived from house and inn signs are rare in English. 3. North German and Dutch: from Middle Low German rave(n) ‘raven’, a nickname or an old personal name. Compare 1 above.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Raven in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Raven' has slightly declined in rank, moving from 9456 in 2000 to 9741 in 2010, a drop of about 3.01%. However, the count, or number of people with this surname, saw a small increase of 5.45% over the same period. This indicates that while other surnames may have become more common, the total number of individuals identified as 'Raven' grew from 3155 to 3327. The proportion per 100k also decreased by about 3.42%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,456 | #9,741 | -3.01% |
| Count | 3,155 | 3,327 | 5.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.17 | 1.13 | -3.42% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Raven
Shifting to the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Raven', the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes over the decade. The percentage of those identifying as White and having this surname dropped slightly from 71.95% in 2000 to 69.61% in 2010. In contrast, those identifying as Hispanic and carrying the 'Raven' surname increased significantly by 56.14%. The percentage of those with Asian/Pacific Islander heritage remained unchanged at 0.54%, while individuals identifying as Black saw a slight increase from 21.24% to 21.64%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category also experienced growth, rising from 1.11% to 1.56%. It's worth noting that the figures for individuals identifying with two or more races saw a minor decrease of about 5.19%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.95% | 69.61% | -3.25% |
| Black | 21.24% | 21.64% | 1.88% |
| Hispanic | 2.85% | 4.45% | 56.14% |
| Two or More Races | 2.31% | 2.19% | -5.19% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.11% | 1.56% | 40.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.54% | 0% |
Raven 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 Raven is British & Irish, which comprises 41.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (30.2%) and Scandinavian (6.5%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 41.6% |
| French & German | 30.2% |
| Scandinavian | 6.5% |
| Other | 21.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Raven
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 Raven have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 78.70% |
What Raven 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 Raven is E-M78, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M78 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Levitt, Kasten, Papp, Israel, Maggio, Schutt, Nightingale, Burg, Roche, Holst.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Raven surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your 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 Raven 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.
"Raven" Surname 32.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Raven" Surname 34.8%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Raven" Surname 25.0%
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.
"Raven" Surname 12.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Raven?
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 Raven are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition