Explore the Family Name Skaggs
The meaning of Skaggs
English: variant of Skeggs, itself a variant, with post-medieval excrescent -s, of Skegg, a nickname from an unrecorded Middle English skegg ‘beard’ (Old Scandinavian skegg), for someone with a beard. Compare Scaggs.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Skaggs in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Skaggs has seen slight changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1876th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had dropped to 2028th place, indicating a 8.1% decrease in its ranking. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 17,569 in 2000 to 17,778 in 2010, a 1.19% increase. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 6.51 to 6.03 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,876 | #2,028 | -8.1% |
| Count | 17,569 | 17,778 | 1.19% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.51 | 6.03 | -7.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Skaggs
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Skaggs also underwent some changes from 2000 to 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (94.63% in 2000 and 92.95% in 2010), there were increases in all other reported ethnic identities. The Hispanic representation saw the largest growth, increasing from 1.29% in 2000 to 2.19% in 2010. Asian/Pacific Islander representation also grew from 0.31% to 0.43%. There was a modest increase in those identifying as Black, from 1.42% to 1.51%, and a small rise among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.72% to 0.79%. Those reporting two or more races increased from 1.63% in 2000 to 2.14% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.63% | 92.95% | -1.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.29% | 2.19% | 69.77% |
| Two or More Races | 1.63% | 2.14% | 31.29% |
| Black | 1.42% | 1.51% | 6.34% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.72% | 0.79% | 9.72% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.43% | 38.71% |
Skaggs 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 Skaggs is British & Irish, which comprises 58.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.9%) and Scandinavian (2.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Indigenous American, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.8% |
| French & German | 25.9% |
| Scandinavian | 2.9% |
| Other | 12.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Skaggs
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 Skaggs have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 94.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 94.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 94.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 94.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 94.40% |
What Skaggs 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 Skaggs is R-CTS2243, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS2243 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and R-Z19, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rambo, Spalding, Clift, Mathison, Kemp, Coats, Matheson, Woodard, Ross, Mccloud.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Skaggs surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your 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 Skaggs 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.
"Skaggs" Surname 42.3%
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.
"Skaggs" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Skaggs" Surname 25.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Skaggs" Surname 37.5%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Skaggs?
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 Skaggs are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition