Explore the Family Name Sampson
The meaning of Sampson
1. English, Welsh, and Jewish: variant of Samson. The -p- was introduced in the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Shimshon. 2. English: of Norman origin, a habitational name from any of the French places called Saint-Samson (Seine-Maritime, Calvados), including Saint-Samson-de-Bonfosse (Manche) and Saint-Samson-de-la-Roque (Eure), so called from the dedication of their churches to Saint Samson of Dol, the Welsh bishop (see Samson). 3. Greek: from the personal name Sampson (see 1 above), or an American shortened form of any of various patronymics derived from this name, e.g. Sampsonidis and Sampsonoglou. 4. Americanized form of French, Breton, German, and Dutch Samson.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sampson in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Sampson has seen a slight decrease in its popularity ranking from 844 in 2000 to 886 in 2010, marking a 4.98% drop. However, the actual count of individuals bearing the surname increased by 5.49% during the same period, from 37,234 in 2000 to 39,277 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a minor decrease by 3.48%, moving from 13.8 in 2000 to 13.32 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #844 | #886 | -4.98% |
| Count | 37,234 | 39,277 | 5.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 13.8 | 13.32 | -3.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sampson
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the Sampson surname as per the Decennial U.S. Census data, some shifts can be observed between 2000 and 2010. The largest group consistently remains those identifying as White, though this percentage decreased slightly from 62.78% to 60.21%. The second largest ethnicity, Black, experienced a slight increase from 28.87% to 29.99%. Notably, there was a significant rise in the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic, growing by 59.09%. Smaller increases were noted among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.62% to 0.66%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 3.81% to 3.90%). Those identifying with two or more races also rose from 2.16% to 2.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.78% | 60.21% | -4.09% |
| Black | 28.87% | 29.99% | 3.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 3.81% | 3.9% | 2.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.76% | 2.8% | 59.09% |
| Two or More Races | 2.16% | 2.43% | 12.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.62% | 0.66% | 6.45% |
Sampson 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 Sampson is British & Irish, which comprises 44.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.0%) and Scandinavian (6.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.8% |
| French & German | 21.0% |
| Scandinavian | 6.6% |
| Other | 27.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Sampson
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 Sampson have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 77.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 77.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 77.10% |
What Sampson 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 Sampson is I-BY526, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-BY526 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-Z209, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Brown, Marshall, Miller, Johnson, Smith, Hill, Wright, Turner, Mitchell, Mason.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sampson surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your 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 Sampson 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.
"Sampson" Surname 37.6%
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.
"Sampson" Surname 24.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sampson" Surname 17.7%
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.
"Sampson" Surname 17.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sampson?
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 Sampson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition