Explore the Family Name Saba
The meaning of Saba
1. Arabic: from the Christian saint’s name Sābā (see Savas 1), which is most likely of Aramaic origin, from sāḇā ‘old man, grandfather’. 2. Arabic: from Saba’, an Arabic name for the Queen of Sheba. 3. Arabic: variant of Sabah. Bearers of this surname are both Muslims and Christians. 4. French (southern): nickname from a variant of Occitan sabe ‘tasty, flavorsome’ (compare Sabourin). Alternatively, perhaps from a variant of the personal name Sabas, Late Greek Sabbas (see Savas). 5. Italian: from the personal name Saba, Late Greek Sabbas (see Savas). Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Salim, Issa, Jiries, Nabil, Ahmed, Fuad, Habib, Ibrahim, Jamil, Marwan, Mohammad, Sami. French Pierre, Antoine, Michel, Camille, Emile, Briand, Chantal, Germaine.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Saba in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Saba" has seen a significant increase from 2000 to 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 9749th in terms of commonality and rose to 8822nd by 2010, marking a 9.51% jump in rank. The count of individuals carrying the Saba surname also escalated from 3060 in 2000 to 3712 in 2010, a notable rise of 21.31%. Consequently, the proportion per 100k people with this last name grew by 11.5%, from 1.13 in 2000 to 1.26 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,749 | #8,822 | 9.51% |
| Count | 3,060 | 3,712 | 21.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.13 | 1.26 | 11.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Saba
Delving into the ethnic identity associated with the Saba surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some noticeable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority identified as White (80.75% in 2000, decreasing slightly to 76.32% in 2010), there were marked increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (up by 83.51% to 6.90% in 2010) and Black (up by 70.22% to 3.83% in 2010). The percentage of those reporting Hispanic ethnicity also climbed from 6.76% to 9.54%, an increase of 41.12%. However, the proportion identifying with two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native both dropped to zero by 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.75% | 76.32% | -5.49% |
| Hispanic | 6.76% | 9.54% | 41.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.76% | 6.9% | 83.51% |
| Black | 2.25% | 3.83% | 70.22% |
| Two or More Races | 6.05% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0% | 0% |
Saba 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 Saba is Levantine, which comprises 35.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (15.2%) and French & German (12.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Levantine | 35.7% |
| British & Irish | 15.2% |
| French & German | 12.0% |
| Other | 37.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Saba
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 Saba have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Lebanon, and Syria.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Beirut Governorate, Lebanon | 54.00% |
| Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon | 53.10% |
| North Governorate, Lebanon | 52.20% |
| Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon | 50.40% |
| South Governorate, Lebanon | 47.80% |
What Saba 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 Saba is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-M173 and G-CTS796, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Montgomery, Rosenblum, Salim, Schechter, Strange, Khoury, Dipasquale, Otero, Barbieri, Larocca.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Saba surname are: H1, H, T2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Saba 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.
"Saba" Surname 53.1%
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.
"Saba" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Saba" Surname 13.3%
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.
"Saba" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Saba?
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 Saba are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition