Explore the Family Name Schwarz
The meaning of Schwarz
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Schwartz. This surname is also found in Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, Croatia, and Slovenia, where it is more common in Slavicized forms (see 2 below) and where it was often applied as a translation into German of Slavic cognates like Czech and Slovak Černý (see Cerny 1), Slovenian Černe (see Cerne 1). It is also found in some western European countries, notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and the Netherlands. 2. Germanized form of Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, and Croatian Švarc (see Swartz 2) and Polish Szwarc, surnames of German origin (see above). Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Hans, Otto, Erwin, Gunter, Heinz, Wolfgang, Gerhard, Manfred, Klaus, Bernhard, Ernst.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Schwarz in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Schwarz has seen some fluctuation in the United States over the past decade. In 2000, Schwarz ranked as the 2119th most common surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to 2295th place, marking a decrease of approximately 8.31%. Despite this decline in rank, the actual number of individuals with the Schwarz surname increased slightly from 15,713 to 15,884 during the same period. This translates to a modest growth rate of 1.09%. However, when viewed per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the surname decreased by 7.56%, dropping from 5.82 to 5.38.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,119 | #2,295 | -8.31% |
| Count | 15,713 | 15,884 | 1.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.82 | 5.38 | -7.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Schwarz
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting trends for those bearing the Schwarz surname between 2000 and 2010. The vast majority identify as White, although there was a slight decrease from 96.49% to 94.26% during this period. There were increases across all other reported ethnicities. Individuals identifying their ethnicity as Asian/Pacific Islander rose from 0.48% to 0.71%, while those reporting two or more races increased from 0.92% to 1.35%. Those identifying as Hispanic saw a significant increase from 1.82% to 3.23%, the highest change among all groups. The proportion identifying as Black also increased from 0.19% to 0.26%. Lastly, those claiming American Indian and Alaskan Native heritage also grew, doubling from 0.10% to 0.18%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.49% | 94.26% | -2.31% |
| Hispanic | 1.82% | 3.23% | 77.47% |
| Two or More Races | 0.92% | 1.35% | 46.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.71% | 47.92% |
| Black | 0.19% | 0.26% | 36.84% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.1% | 0.18% | 80% |
Schwarz 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 Schwarz is French & German, which comprises 35.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.0%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (12.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 35.2% |
| British & Irish | 28.0% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 12.1% |
| Other | 24.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Schwarz
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 Schwarz have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 61.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 61.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 60.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 60.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 60.70% |
What Schwarz 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 Schwarz is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hoffman, Wolf, Schneider, Wagner, Snyder, Klein, Meyer, Schmidt, Miller, Fisher.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Schwarz surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
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.
What do people with the surname Schwarz 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.
"Schwarz" Surname 45.0%
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.
"Schwarz" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Schwarz" Surname 17.9%
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.
"Schwarz" Surname 16.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Schwarz?
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 Schwarz are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition