Explore the Family Name Spann
The meaning of Spann
1. English (Cheshire): from Middle English spann(e), sponn(e) ‘span’ (Old English spann), denoting a footbridge or a narrow strip of land. The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived by such a place, or habitational, for someone from a place called with this word, for example Spon End in Coventry (Warwickshire), Span in Ventnor (Isle of Wight), and Spon Lane in West Bromwich (Staffordshire). Compare Spong. 2. German: nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Middle High German span, Middle Low German spenne ‘disagreement, dispute, quarrel’. 3. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian and Rusyn (from Slovakia) Špan (see Span 3, 4, and 6) and Czech Špán (see Span 5).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Spann in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Spann experienced a slight drop in ranking between 2000 and 2010, moving from 2815 to 2882, indicating a decrease of 2.38%. However, the count of individuals with the Spann surname increased by 6.55% during the same period, from 11,691 to 12,457 people. The proportion of people with the Spann surname per 100,000 also slightly decreased by 2.54%, from 4.33 to 4.22.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,815 | #2,882 | -2.38% |
| Count | 11,691 | 12,457 | 6.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.33 | 4.22 | -2.54% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Spann
The ethnicity distribution for the Spann surname showed some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Individuals identifying as White represented the largest group, although their percentage decreased by 3.15% from 44.44% to 43.04%. Black individuals constituted the second-largest group, with a small decrease of 1.23% from 51.89% to 51.25%. The proportion of individuals of Hispanic ethnicity increased by 62.10% from 1.24% to 2.01%. Those identifying as two or more races also saw a significant increase of 72.16% from 1.76% to 3.03%. Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups remained relatively stable, with no change and a minor decrease of -2.78% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 51.89% | 51.25% | -1.23% |
| White | 44.44% | 43.04% | -3.15% |
| Two or More Races | 1.76% | 3.03% | 72.16% |
| Hispanic | 1.24% | 2.01% | 62.1% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.35% | -2.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.31% | 0% |
Spann 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 Spann is British & Irish, which comprises 52.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (15.8%) and Nigerian (8.5%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Angolan & Congolese, Eastern European, Scandinavian, and Senegambian & Guinean.
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 | 52.7% |
| French & German | 15.8% |
| Nigerian | 8.5% |
| Other | 23.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Spann
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 Spann have recent ancestry locations all within United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 74.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 74.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 74.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 74.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 73.90% |
What Spann 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 Spann is R-Z16539, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z16539 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Belt, Ard, Burdick, Heaton, Guillory, Fain, Crain, Muldoon, Ruffin, Mannion.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Spann surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Spann 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.
"Spann" Surname 40.0%
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.
"Spann" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Spann" Surname 21.3%
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.
"Spann" Surname 17.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Spann?
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 Spann are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition