Explore the Family Name Silveira
The meaning of Silveira
Portuguese and Galician: topographic name from silveira ‘woodland’, a collective derivative of silva (see Silva); or a habitational name from any of the places called Silveira in Lugo and Pontevedra provinces, Galicia (Spain). Compare Da Silveira, Selvera, and Silvera. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Luis, Fernando, Carlos, Pedro, Francisco, Mario, Ana, Joaquin, Jorge, Adolfo. Portuguese Joao, Paulo, Altair, Duarte, Henrique, Joaquim, Serafim.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Silveira in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Silveira has seen a rise in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Silveira was ranked as the 5824th most popular surname, and by 2010 it had climbed to the 5545th spot, marking an increase of 4.79%. Additionally, the number of individuals with the Silveira surname increased from 5437 in 2000 to 6267 in 2010, signifying a 15.27% growth rate. The representation of the Silveira surname per 100,000 people also showed a slight uptick, moving from 2.02 in 2000 to 2.12 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,824 | #5,545 | 4.79% |
| Count | 5,437 | 6,267 | 15.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.02 | 2.12 | 4.95% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Silveira
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides valuable insight into the ethnic identity associated with the Silveira surname. In 2000, the predominant ethnicity linked to the Silveira surname was White, accounting for 80.49%, which slightly decreased to 79.91% in 2010. The second major ethnic identity was Hispanic, growing notably from 9.47% in 2000 to 13.83% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black with the Silveira surname also increased over the decade, with the latter seeing a significant jump from 0.48% to 2.58%. However, those identifying as Two or more races saw a sharp decrease, from 7.96% in 2000 to just 1.82% in 2010. American Indian and Alaskan Native identity remained relatively low and decreased slightly during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.49% | 79.91% | -0.72% |
| Hispanic | 9.47% | 13.83% | 46.04% |
| Black | 0.48% | 2.58% | 437.5% |
| Two or More Races | 7.96% | 1.82% | -77.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.29% | 1.6% | 24.03% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.26% | -16.13% |
Silveira 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 Silveira is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 54.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (16.2%) and French & German (8.8%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Scandinavian, Eastern European, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 54.8% |
| British & Irish | 16.2% |
| French & German | 8.8% |
| Other | 20.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Silveira
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 Silveira have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Madeira, Portugal | 62.60% |
| Azores, Portugal | 62.60% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 60.20% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 59.40% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 56.90% |
What Silveira 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 Silveira is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z225 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Da Silva, Cunha, Araujo, Teixeira, Sousa, Rocha, Almeida, Ferreira, Pereira, Souza.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Silveira surname are: A2, H1, H. 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 Silveira 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.
"Silveira" Surname 41.9%
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.
"Silveira" Surname 28.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Silveira" Surname 17.6%
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.
"Silveira" Surname 15.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Silveira?
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 Silveira are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition