Explore the Family Name Snow
The meaning of Snow
1. English: nickname for someone with snow‐white hair or an exceptionally pale complexion, from Middle English snou, snow ‘snow’ (Old English snaw). 2. American shortened and altered (translated into English) form of any of the Jewish artificial names composed with German Schnee, Schnei, Schneu ‘snow’ as the first element, e.g. Schneeberg. 3. Americanized form of French Canadian Chenard, reflecting the characteristic Canadian and American French rounding of the -ard ending. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Snow are descendants of Guillaume Chanal alias Chenard from France, who was in QC by 1752 (see Chenard).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Snow in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Snow has seen a slight decrease between 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 687 in popularity, but by 2010 it had slipped to 734th place, representing a 6.84% drop in rank. However, while the rank declined, the actual count of people bearing the surname increased from 45,689 in 2000 to 47,528 in 2010, a 4.03% rise. The proportion per 100k also saw a decrease from 16.94 in 2000 to 16.11 in 2010, showing a 4.9% decline.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #687 | #734 | -6.84% |
| Count | 45,689 | 47,528 | 4.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 16.94 | 16.11 | -4.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Snow
In terms of ethnic identity associated with the surname Snow, the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts from 2000 to 2010. The majority identified as White, although its percentage dropped slightly from 86.75% to 85.00%. Identification as Black modestly increased from 8.55% to 8.97%. More significant changes occurred among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic; the former rose by 27.08% and the latter by 49.23%. The proportion reporting two or more races also increased from 1.49% to 2.05%. Meanwhile, identification as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable, decreasing only marginally from 1.43% to 1.42%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.75% | 85% | -2.02% |
| Black | 8.55% | 8.97% | 4.91% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 2.05% | 37.58% |
| Hispanic | 1.3% | 1.94% | 49.23% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.43% | 1.42% | -0.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.61% | 27.08% |
Snow 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 Snow is British & Irish, which comprises 52.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.4%) and Eastern European (4.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.4% |
| French & German | 23.4% |
| Eastern European | 4.1% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Snow
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 Snow have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.40% |
What Snow 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 Snow is I-Z60, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-Z60 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-Z12 and I-PF4088, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Thorpe, Hicks, Gould, Brooks, Allen, Patrick, Kent, Gilbert, Greene, Smith.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Snow surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Alexander Hamilton
Early in the morning on July 11, 1804, Aaron Burr (then Vice President of the United States) and Alexander Hamilton (founder of the U.S. Treasury) dueled on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. This marked the culmination of a bitter personal and political rivalry between the two men. Alexander Hamilton died as a result of the duel, but his intellectual legacy survives in the founding documents of the nation he helped build. A piece of his genetic legacy survives as well: in the 21st century, genealogists documented the paternal haplogroups of dozens of Hamilton's living descendants and concluded that the Founding Father's paternal haplogroup was a branch of I-DF29.
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 Snow 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.
"Snow" Surname 40.5%
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.
"Snow" Surname 22.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Snow" Surname 22.7%
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.
"Snow" Surname 19.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Snow?
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 Snow are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition