Explore the Family Name Smalley
The meaning of Smalley
English (Lancashire): habitational name chiefly from Smalley in Balderston near Blackburn (Lancashire), but occasionally from Smalley (Derbyshire) and perhaps also from Smalley in Stanley (Yorkshire). The placenames derive from Old English smæl ‘narrow, thin’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. In Scots pronunciation the surname developed to Smellie, Smillie, and Smiley.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Smalley in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Smalley' has seen some changes in the last decade. In 2000, the rank of this surname was 2866, with a count of 11,512 and its proportion per 100,000 was 4.27. By 2010, the rank dropped slightly to 3055 with a population increase to 11,737, indicating a minor growth of 1.95%. However, its proportion per 100,000 decreased by 6.79% to 3.98, denoting that while the number of individuals with the surname 'Smalley' grew, their overall share in the total population declined.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,866 | #3,055 | -6.59% |
| Count | 11,512 | 11,737 | 1.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.27 | 3.98 | -6.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Smalley
Regarding the ethnic identity distribution among individuals with the surname 'Smalley', the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest group consistently belongs to the White ethnicity, though it decreased from 87.20% in 2000 to 84.84% in 2010. The Black ethnic identity experienced a small increase of 8.03% during this period, reaching 9.42% in 2010. Notably, the Asian/Pacific Islander representation more than doubled, growing from 0.36% to 0.55%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a rise of 42.86%, ending at 0.80% in 2010. The individuals identifying with two or more races also increased by 29.68%, standing at 2.01% in 2010. Furthermore, the Hispanic representation showed a significant rise of 48.75%, moving up to 2.38% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.2% | 84.84% | -2.71% |
| Black | 8.72% | 9.42% | 8.03% |
| Hispanic | 1.6% | 2.38% | 48.75% |
| Two or More Races | 1.55% | 2.01% | 29.68% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0.8% | 42.86% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.55% | 52.78% |
Smalley 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 Smalley is British & Irish, which comprises 49.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.2%) and Eastern European (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 49.6% |
| French & German | 26.2% |
| Eastern European | 6.7% |
| Other | 17.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Smalley
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 Smalley have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
What Smalley 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 Smalley 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-Z156 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Culver, Barlow, Whitney, Moon, Mayfield, Cody, Maxwell, Justice, Mckenna, Mccabe.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Smalley surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Smalley 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.
"Smalley" Surname 46.5%
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.
"Smalley" Surname 20.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Smalley" Surname 19.2%
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.
"Smalley" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Smalley?
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 Smalley are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition