Explore the Family Name Richards
The meaning of Richards
1. English: variant of Richard, with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. Compare Rickards. 2. German: patronymic from the personal name Richard.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Richards in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Richards saw a minor shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Richards was ranked as the 215th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 228th spot, representing a decrease of 6.05%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the surname Richards increased from 125,653 to 130,529 during the same time frame, marking a growth of 3.88%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 46.58 to 44.25.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #215 | #228 | -6.05% |
| Count | 125,653 | 130,529 | 3.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 46.58 | 44.25 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Richards
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Richards. Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of Richards identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose from 0.53% to 0.66%, an increase of 24.53%. Similarly, there was growth in those identifying as having two or more races (from 1.62% to 1.96%), Black (from 13.28% to 14.86%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.94% to 1.04%). On the other hand, the percentage of Richards identified as White saw a slight decrease from 81.74% to 78.67%. The most significant change was among those identifying as Hispanic, which saw a notable increase from 1.89% to 2.81%, representing a change of 48.68%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.74% | 78.67% | -3.76% |
| Black | 13.28% | 14.86% | 11.9% |
| Hispanic | 1.89% | 2.81% | 48.68% |
| Two or More Races | 1.62% | 1.96% | 20.99% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.94% | 1.04% | 10.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.53% | 0.66% | 24.53% |
Richards 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 Richards is British & Irish, which comprises 51.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.9%) and Eastern European (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.9% |
| French & German | 21.9% |
| Eastern European | 4.8% |
| Other | 21.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Richards
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 Richards have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
What Richards 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 Richards is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Davis, Morris, Thomas, Lewis, Jones, Evans, Price, Clark, Phillips, Thompson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Richards 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 Richards 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.
"Richards" Surname 41.5%
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.
"Richards" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Richards" Surname 23.3%
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.
"Richards" Surname 17.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Richards?
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 Richards are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition