Explore the Family Name Rook
The meaning of Rook
1. English: either a nickname from Middle English rok(e), ruk(e) ‘rook’ (Old English hrōc), perhaps for someone with very dark hair or a dark complexion or with a raucous voice, or else a topographic or habitational name referring to a house with the sign of the rook. 2. English: variant of Rock. 3. German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with hrok, perhaps a cognate of 1 or from Middle High German rōhen ‘to cry or yell (in battle)’ or Old High German ruoh ‘intent’, ‘greed’. 4. Perhaps an altered form of German Ruck.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rook in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Rook slightly declined between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Rook ranked as the 6556th most common surname, with a count of 4766 and a proportion of 1.77 per 100,000 people. By 2010, its rank had dropped to 7165, reflecting a decrease of 9.29%. The total count reduced by 2.06% to 4668, and the proportion also fell by 10.73% to 1.58 per 100,000 people.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,556 | #7,165 | -9.29% |
| Count | 4,766 | 4,668 | -2.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.77 | 1.58 | -10.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rook
With regard to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that individuals identified with the surname Rook showed changes in their ethnic identity from 2000 to 2010. Among them, the Asian/Pacific Islander group saw the most significant increase, rising by 160.87% from 0.46% to 1.20%. There was also growth in representation among those identifying as two or more races (50.78% increase) and Hispanic (51.59% increase). Meanwhile, the percentage of White individuals decreased by 2.25%, and the Black group saw a slight decrease of 5.30%. However, there was a small increase of 16.39% among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.73% | 89.67% | -2.25% |
| Black | 4.34% | 4.11% | -5.3% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.38% | 51.59% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.93% | 50.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 1.2% | 160.87% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.71% | 16.39% |
Rook 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 Rook is British & Irish, which comprises 53.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.7%) and Italian (5.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.0% |
| French & German | 26.7% |
| Italian | 5.3% |
| Other | 15.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Rook
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 Rook have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
What Rook 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 Rook is R-CTS4528, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4528 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z381 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Houk, Craig, Fisher, Skinner, Elwood, Roberts, Black, Hudson, Welsh, Galvin.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rook surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Rook 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.
"Rook" Surname 47.2%
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.
"Rook" Surname 37.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rook" Surname 22.9%
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.
"Rook" Surname 19.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rook?
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 Rook are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition