Explore the Family Name Sobel
The meaning of Sobel
Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): from Slavic sobol ‘sable’, Yiddish soybl, a type of marten with handsome black fur; either an occupational name for a fur trader or an artificial name. Compare Sobol. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Avner, Chanina, Gerson, Herschel, Hershel, Heshy, Isadore, Meyer, Mort, Pesach.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sobel in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Sobel has slightly declined from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 8789th most common surname in the United States with a count of 3433, which represented a proportion of 1.27 per 100k people. By 2010, the rank had slipped to 9548 with a decrease in the count to 3405, indicating a fall of 0.82% and a reduced proportion of 1.15 per 100k people. This represents an overall drop in popularity by 8.64%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,789 | #9,548 | -8.64% |
| Count | 3,433 | 3,405 | -0.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.27 | 1.15 | -9.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sobel
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Sobel between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White in both years, with a slight decrease of 0.52% over the decade. Meanwhile, there were increases in the percentages identifying as Hispanic and Black, rising by 46.15% and 68.57% respectively, though these groups still represent a small portion of those with the surname. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders decreased by 10.96%. Interestingly, the proportion of people reporting two or more races or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicity dropped to zero in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.21% | 95.71% | -0.52% |
| Hispanic | 1.69% | 2.47% | 46.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.73% | 0.65% | -10.96% |
| Black | 0.35% | 0.59% | 68.57% |
| Two or More Races | 0.87% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.15% | 0% | 0% |
Sobel 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 Sobel is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 54.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (18.8%) and French & German (10.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Indigenous American, Greek & Balkan, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 54.6% |
| British & Irish | 18.8% |
| French & German | 10.0% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Sobel
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 Sobel have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 43.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 43.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 43.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 42.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 41.20% |
What Sobel 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 Sobel is R-Z645, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z645 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and E-L791, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Levinson, Resnick, Wasserman, Silverstein, Tepper, Michelson, Hyman, Moskowitz, Brody, Freedman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sobel surname are: K1a1b1a, H1, 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 Sobel 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.
"Sobel" Surname 34.1%
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.
"Sobel" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sobel" Surname 14.0%
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.
"Sobel" Surname 16.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sobel?
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 Sobel are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition