Explore the Family Name Rossiter
The meaning of Rossiter
English: variant of Rochester, probably from the Kent placename rather than any of the Northumberland names. This Anglo-Norman name has been established since the 12th century in Ireland, where it is Gaelicized as Rosaitear.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rossiter in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Rossiter has slightly decreased between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 8986th in popularity, but by 2010 it had slipped to 9770th, reflecting a change of -8.72%. The total count of people with this surname also dropped marginally from 3345 in 2000 to 3316 in 2010, a decrease of -0.87%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people similarly experienced a slight decrease, falling from 1.24 in 2000 to 1.12 in 2010, or a change of -9.68%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,986 | #9,770 | -8.72% |
| Count | 3,345 | 3,316 | -0.87% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.24 | 1.12 | -9.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rossiter
The ethnic identity of those bearing the surname Rossiter shifted somewhat between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage identifying as white decreased from 94.98% to 93.73%, a change of -1.32%. Those identifying as Black also saw a significant drop, decreasing from 0.51% to 0.27%, or -47.06%. Interestingly, the Hispanic representation increased from 1.94% to 2.86%, reflecting a change of 47.42%. The Asian/Pacific Islander representation also rose slightly from 0.72% to 0.78%, an increase of 8.33%. Additionally, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races increased from 1.52% to 2.11%, a rise of 38.82%. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation declined slightly, from 0.33% to 0.24%, a -27.27% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.98% | 93.73% | -1.32% |
| Hispanic | 1.94% | 2.86% | 47.42% |
| Two or More Races | 1.52% | 2.11% | 38.82% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.72% | 0.78% | 8.33% |
| Black | 0.51% | 0.27% | -47.06% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.24% | -27.27% |
Rossiter 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 Rossiter is British & Irish, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.4%) and Eastern European (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.9% |
| French & German | 21.4% |
| Eastern European | 5.8% |
| Other | 16.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Rossiter
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 Rossiter have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
What Rossiter 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 Rossiter is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and I-M227, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Broome, Tupper, Jacks, Bowser, Thayer, Broom, Dana, Calder, Mcfarland, Sherrill.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rossiter surname are: H1, N, 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 Rossiter 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.
"Rossiter" Surname 56.5%
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.
"Rossiter" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rossiter" Surname 13.9%
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.
"Rossiter" Surname 21.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rossiter?
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 Rossiter are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition