Explore the Family Name Savoy

The meaning of Savoy

Altered form of French Savoie. It is also found in England, as an Anglicized surname of Huguenot origin.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Savoy in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Savoy has seen moderate shifts in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 4,464th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to the 4,638th position, marking a 3.9% decrease in rank. However, this didn't translate to fewer people bearing the name. On the contrary, the count of individuals with the surname Savoy actually increased from 7,304 to 7,649, a rise of 4.72%. As a result, the proportion per 100,000 people shifted from 2.71 to 2.59, indicating a slight decrease of 4.43%.

20002010Change
Rank#4,464#4,638-3.9%
Count7,3047,6494.72%
Proportion per 100k2.712.59-4.43%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Savoy

Turning our attention to ethnic identity associated with the Savoy surname, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting changes over the decade. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander declined by 35.71%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a decrease of 15.87%. Conversely, those reporting their ethnicity as two or more races rose significantly by 59.22%, and there was a substantial increase of 69.12% within the Hispanic community. Meanwhile, White and Black communities experienced marginal changes, with the former decreasing by 3.52% and the latter increasing slightly by 0.72%.

20002010Change
White54.83%52.9%-3.52%
Black40.33%40.62%0.72%
Two or More Races1.79%2.85%59.22%
Hispanic1.36%2.3%69.12%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.26%1.06%-15.87%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.42%0.27%-35.71%

Savoy 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 Savoy is French & German, which comprises 35.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (31.3%) and Nigerian (4.9%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
French & German35.3%
British & Irish31.3%
Nigerian4.9%
Other28.5%
Savoy

Possible origins of the surname Savoy

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 Savoy have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom74.20%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom74.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom73.40%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom71.90%
Lancashire, United Kingdom71.10%

What Savoy 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 Savoy is R-Z367, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z367 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Covington, Medlin, Tisdale, Hadley, Blanchette, Bessette, Chastain, Halbert, Swank, Wainwright.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Savoy surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

savoyPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your 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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Savoy 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

Savoy

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Savoy" Surname 19.4%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Savoy

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Savoy" Surname 32.4%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Savoy

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Savoy" Surname 22.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Savoy

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Savoy" Surname 12.3%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Savoy?

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 Savoy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

French & German 60.8%

23andMe Users 57.2%