Explore the Family Name Smallwood
The meaning of Smallwood
English: habitational name from any of various places called with Middle English smal ‘small, narrow’ (Old English smæl) + wode ‘wood’ (Old English wudu), including Smallwood (Cheshire).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Smallwood in the United States?
The surname Smallwood has seen a dip in popularity over the past decade, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked 1811 out of all surnames in the United States. By 2010, it had fallen to 1926, a decrease of 6.35 percent. Despite its drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Smallwood last name increased slightly from 18,227 in 2000 to 18,717 in 2010, making for a modest growth of 2.69 percent. The proportion of Smallwoods per 100,000 people also decreased by 6.07 percent during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,811 | #1,926 | -6.35% |
| Count | 18,227 | 18,717 | 2.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.76 | 6.35 | -6.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Smallwood
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Smallwood, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that there have been some significant shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of Smallwoods identified as White (70.85 percent in 2000 and 68.67 percent in 2010), the percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Two or more races saw substantial increases. Specifically, the number of Asian/Pacific Islander Smallwoods increased by 43.33 percent, those identifying as Hispanic rose by 55.00 percent, and those claiming two or more races jumped by a significant 59.75 percent. The portion identifying as Black saw a marginal increase of 0.88 percent, while those claiming American Indian and Alaskan Native roots grew by 10.31 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.85% | 68.67% | -3.08% |
| Black | 24.89% | 25.11% | 0.88% |
| Two or More Races | 1.59% | 2.54% | 59.75% |
| Hispanic | 1.4% | 2.17% | 55% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.97% | 1.07% | 10.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.43% | 43.33% |
Smallwood 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 Smallwood is British & Irish, which comprises 55.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.2%) and Nigerian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.5% |
| French & German | 20.2% |
| Nigerian | 3.9% |
| Other | 20.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Smallwood
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 Smallwood have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 85.90% |
What Smallwood 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 Smallwood is R-L1, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L1 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-P252 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ricketts, Hobbs, Buxton, Worthy, Holt, Hazelwood, Atkins, Bell, Litton, Cotten.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Smallwood surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Smallwood 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.
"Smallwood" Surname 38.0%
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.
"Smallwood" Surname 32.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Smallwood" Surname 25.3%
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.
"Smallwood" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Smallwood?
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 Smallwood are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition