Explore the Family Name Runyon
The meaning of Runyon
1. Americanized form of French Rongnion (or perhaps of some other similar French surname): unexplained. The surname Rongnion is no longer found in France. Compare Runion, Runnion, Runyan, and Runyen. 2. Possibly also Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Rúnaidhin, ‘descendant of Rúnaidhin’, from a pet form of the personal name Ruanaidh (see Rooney). This form of the surname has now died out in Ireland and Britain. History: Most, if not all, of the American Runyons and Runyans trace their origin to Vincent Rongnion, a French Huguenot from Poitiers, France, who came to North America in 1665 and settled in NJ. His name is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors (as Vincent Rongnion or Runyon or Runyan) and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America (as Vincent Runyon). His descendants also bear the surnames Runion, Runions, Runnion, Runnions, Runyan, Runyen, etc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Runyon in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Runyon has decreased slightly in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000 it was ranked 3,577th and by 2010 had slipped down to 3,872nd, a decrease of 8.25%. Despite the rank drop, the number of individuals with the surname increased marginally from 9,123 in 2000 to 9,153 in 2010, which signifies a growth rate of 0.33%. However, as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the surname Runyon has declined by 8.28% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,577 | #3,872 | -8.25% |
| Count | 9,123 | 9,153 | 0.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.38 | 3.1 | -8.28% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Runyon
In terms of ethnicity, the most significant change between 2000 and 2010 was within the Hispanic group, which saw a rise of 43.61%. The second-highest increase was seen among Black individuals, with an 18.57% growth. Individuals identifying as Two or more races also increased by 11.27%, while Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups both saw minimal increases of 2.27% and 2.86% respectively. On the other hand, the percentage of White individuals with the surname Runyon has slightly decreased by 1.08%. This information is all based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.06% | 94.03% | -1.08% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 1.91% | 43.61% |
| Black | 1.4% | 1.66% | 18.57% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 1.58% | 11.27% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.45% | 2.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.35% | 0.36% | 2.86% |
Runyon 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 Runyon is British & Irish, which comprises 53.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.6%) and Scandinavian (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.9% |
| French & German | 28.6% |
| Scandinavian | 3.6% |
| Other | 13.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Runyon
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 Runyon have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.90% |
What Runyon 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 Runyon 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-L21 and I-M170, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Blodgett, Comstock, Couture, Northcutt, Dorris, Snodgrass, Boggess, Peckham, Estes, Allred.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Runyon surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Runyon 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.
"Runyon" Surname 46.7%
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.
"Runyon" Surname 22.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Runyon" Surname 22.0%
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.
"Runyon" Surname 21.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Runyon?
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 Runyon are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition