Explore the Family Name Slaughter
The meaning of Slaughter
English: 1. in East Anglia and Essex, an occupational name from Middle English slaughter ‘butcher’, a derivative of Middle English slaught ‘butchery’ + er, or from a shortened form of the synonymous Middle English slaughterer, a derivative of slaughter ‘butchery’ + -er. Compare Slater 2. 2. in Sussex and Surrey a habitational name denoting residence at one or other of several minor placenames such as Slaughter Bridge in Slinfold, Slaughter Bridge in Shipley, Slaughterford (Farm) in Itchingfield, the lost Slaughters in Billingshurst (all Sussex), and Slaughterwicks Barn in Charlwood (Surrey). The names may derive from Middle English slo(gh) ‘sloe, blackthorn’ (Old English slāh) + tre ‘tree’ (Old English trēow), or from Middle English sloghtre, sloghtere ‘slough, mire, muddy place’, or perhaps ‘deep river valley’, or ‘ditch’ (Old English slōhtre). The latter is certainly the etymology of Upper and Lower Slaughter (Gloucestershire) and The Slaughter in English Bicknor (Gloucestershire).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Slaughter in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Slaughter" has seen a slight decrease in rank from 1234 in 2000 to 1295 in 2010, a change of -4.94%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 4.09% during the same period, rising from 26,088 to 27,155. The proportion per 100k people also saw a slight decline of -4.76%, moving from 9.67 in 2000 to 9.21 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,234 | #1,295 | -4.94% |
| Count | 26,088 | 27,155 | 4.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.67 | 9.21 | -4.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Slaughter
The ethnicity associated with the surname "Slaughter" has diversified over the decade, as shown by data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and having two or more ethnic identities rose by 23.33% and 44.44% respectively. The Hispanic community using this surname witnessed a significant increase of 73.53%. There was a minimal increase in the Black community by 1.45%, while the White community experienced a slight decrease of -4.13%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category also saw a growth of 7.50%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59.51% | 57.05% | -4.13% |
| Black | 36.54% | 37.07% | 1.45% |
| Two or More Races | 1.89% | 2.73% | 44.44% |
| Hispanic | 1.36% | 2.36% | 73.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.43% | 7.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.37% | 23.33% |
Slaughter 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 Slaughter is British & Irish, which comprises 53.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.3%) and Nigerian (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Eastern European, Angolan & Congolese, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.6% |
| French & German | 21.3% |
| Nigerian | 5.8% |
| Other | 19.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Slaughter
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 Slaughter have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 80.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 80.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 80.20% |
What Slaughter 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 Slaughter is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z150 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Edwards, Evans, Jones, Phillips, Thomas, Lloyd, Morgan, Fletcher, Lewis, James.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Slaughter surname are: H1, H3, 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 Slaughter 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.
"Slaughter" Surname 50.0%
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.
"Slaughter" Surname 32.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Slaughter" Surname 18.8%
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.
"Slaughter" Surname 15.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Slaughter?
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 Slaughter are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition