Explore the Family Name Specht
The meaning of Specht
German: from Middle High German speht ‘woodpecker’ (from spehten ‘to chatter’), hence a nickname derived from some characteristic of the bird, or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a woodpecker. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Erwin, Hans, Heinz, Otto, Willi, Dieter, Fritz, Helmut, Karl Heinz, Klaus.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Specht in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Specht has slightly dipped in the past decade. In 2000, Specht ranked at 5538 among all surnames but fell to 5991 in 2010, marking an overall decrease of 8.18%. The count of people bearing this surname also saw a nominal decline from 5767 in 2000 to 5738 in 2010, which is a slight drop of 0.5%. Proportionally, per 100,000 people, the incidence of the surname Specht declined by approximately 8.88%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,538 | #5,991 | -8.18% |
| Count | 5,767 | 5,738 | -0.5% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.14 | 1.95 | -8.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Specht
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Specht, according to Decennial U.S. Census data, has shown notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While a large majority of bearers of the name identify as White (95.07% in 2010, down from 96.45% in 2000), there have been increases in other categories. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic almost doubled, jumping from 1.30% in 2000 to 2.47% in 2010. Similarly, those identifying as Black and Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 16.67% and 22.50% respectively. The group identifying as two or more races also saw a slight increase, from 0.95% to 1.05% over the decade. However, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 16.67%, from 0.36% to 0.30%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.45% | 95.07% | -1.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.3% | 2.47% | 90% |
| Two or More Races | 0.95% | 1.05% | 10.53% |
| Black | 0.54% | 0.63% | 16.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.49% | 22.5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.3% | -16.67% |
Specht 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 Specht is French & German, which comprises 46.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.9%) and Eastern European (6.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 46.0% |
| British & Irish | 30.9% |
| Eastern European | 6.8% |
| Other | 16.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Specht
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 Specht have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.00% |
What Specht 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 Specht is R-P312, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P312 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-Z9, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Niemeyer, Bergmann, Engelhardt, Wahl, Behr, Weber, Siebert, Zander, Geisler, Brinkman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Specht surname are: H1c, 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 Specht 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.
"Specht" Surname 53.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Specht" Surname 52.6%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Specht" Surname 22.4%
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.
"Specht" Surname 11.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Specht?
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 Specht are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition