Explore the Family Name Sousa
The meaning of Sousa
Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places in Portugal named Sousa. The placename is of pre-Roman origin and unexplained origin. Compare De Sousa, Sosa, and Souza. History: John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), the American composer of military music, was born in Washington, DC, the son of a US Marine Corps bandmaster. His father was born in Spain, the son of a Portuguese refugee, and had emigrated to North America in the 1840s. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Carlos, Fernando, Luis, Francisco, Mario, Alfredo, Jorge, Ana, Armando, Geraldo. Portuguese Joao, Joaquim, Duarte, Mateus, Paulo, Serafim, Agostinho, Albano, Anabela, Armanda, Braz, Goncalo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sousa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Sousa has seen a slight decrease in rank from 2339 in 2000 to 2370 in 2010, indicating a change of -1.33%. However, the count of individuals with this surname has increased by 8.42% over the same period, going up from 14,183 to 15,377. The proportion per 100k people has also seen a minor decrease of -0.95%, moving from 5.26 to 5.21.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,339 | #2,370 | -1.33% |
| Count | 14,183 | 15,377 | 8.42% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.26 | 5.21 | -0.95% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sousa
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest percentage of individuals with the surname Sousa identifies as White, increasing from 87.17% to 89.11%. Those identifying as Hispanic saw a rise from 5.84% to 6.70%, while the number of Black individuals doubled from 0.78% to 1.65%. The Asian/Pacific Islander category saw an increase from 0.67% to 0.86%. There was a notable decrease in those identifying as two or more races, dropping from 5.34% to 1.43%. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category experienced a modest growth from 0.21% to 0.25%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.17% | 89.11% | 2.23% |
| Hispanic | 5.84% | 6.7% | 14.73% |
| Black | 0.78% | 1.65% | 111.54% |
| Two or More Races | 5.34% | 1.43% | -73.22% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.67% | 0.86% | 28.36% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.25% | 19.05% |
Sousa 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 Sousa is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 58.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (17.2%) and French & German (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Indigenous American, Scandinavian, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 58.7% |
| British & Irish | 17.2% |
| French & German | 7.0% |
| Other | 17.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Sousa
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 Sousa have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 67.20% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 66.70% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 65.70% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 63.50% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 60.70% |
What Sousa 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 Sousa is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M183 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Souza, Gomes, Ferreira, Fernandes, Pereira, Oliveira, Ribeiro, Rodrigues, Lopes, Vieira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sousa surname are: A2, H1, 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 Sousa 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.
"Sousa" Surname 29.6%
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.
"Sousa" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sousa" Surname 21.4%
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.
"Sousa" Surname 14.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sousa?
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 Sousa are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition