Explore the Family Name Sinclair
The meaning of Sinclair
1. Scottish and English: of Norman origin, a habitational name from Saint-Clair-sur-Elle (Manche), so called from the dedication of its church to Saint Clarus (see Clare 3). 2. Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) Jewish surname. History: The Scottish family Sinclair (see 1 above) came to southern Scotland in the twelfth century from Huntingdonshire with the de Morvilles. Descendants of these Sinclairs became earls of Caithness in the 15th century. The frequency of the surname in Caithness and Orkney is largely due to the adoption by tenants of the name of their overlord.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sinclair in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Sinclair has seen some minor changes over a decade. In the year 2000, Sinclair was ranked as the 1239th most popular surname in the U.S., and by 2010, it had dropped slightly to the 1290th spot – a decrease of about 4.12%. However, the overall count of people with the Sinclair surname increased from 26,014 in 2000 to 27,243 in 2010, marking a rise of 4.72%. The proportion per 100,000 people fell minimally from 9.64 in 2000 to 9.24 in 2010, which corresponds to a 4.15% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,239 | #1,290 | -4.12% |
| Count | 26,014 | 27,243 | 4.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.64 | 9.24 | -4.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sinclair
In terms of the ethnic identity associated with the surname Sinclair, the Decennial U.S. Census provides an interesting snapshot of its diverse distribution across various groups. Between 2000 and 2010, the highest percentage of individuals identified as White, although this decreased from 76.55% to 73.01%. The number of Sinclair's identifying as Black saw an increase of 11.02%, going from 17.96% to 19.94%. There was also a significant jump of 53.01% in those identifying as Hispanic, rising from 2.49% to 3.81%. The percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races saw increases of 37.5% and 4.44% respectively. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group experienced a modest increase of 1.43% between the two census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.55% | 73.01% | -4.62% |
| Black | 17.96% | 19.94% | 11.02% |
| Hispanic | 2.49% | 3.81% | 53.01% |
| Two or More Races | 1.8% | 1.88% | 4.44% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.7% | 0.71% | 1.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.66% | 37.5% |
Sinclair 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 Sinclair is British & Irish, which comprises 54.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.2%) and Eastern European (4.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.5% |
| French & German | 19.2% |
| Eastern European | 4.1% |
| Other | 22.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Sinclair
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 Sinclair have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
What Sinclair 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 Sinclair 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-FGC10125 and R-Z30, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Horne, Wright, Smith, Wilson, Hill, Brown, Davis, Williams, Clark, Andrews.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sinclair surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Sinclair 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.
"Sinclair" Surname 45.9%
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.
"Sinclair" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sinclair" Surname 17.5%
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.
"Sinclair" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sinclair?
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 Sinclair are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition