Explore the Family Name Squire
The meaning of Squire
English: status name, occupational name, or a nickname from Middle English squyer, squer, skier, sker, northern Middle English swire (Old French escuyer, escuier) ‘shield bearer, esquire, personal attendant to a knight; landowner below the rank of knight; young man of gentle birth; household attendant, retainer, page, messenger’. Many early bearers of this name were of modest means and cannot have been members of the gentry; in such cases the name may have been used hyperbolically for a low-ranking servant or as a nickname. By the 17th century, the term denoted any member of the landed gentry, but this is unlikely to have influenced the development of the surname.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Squire in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Squire saw a slight decrease in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 6198th place to 6363rd. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased by 5.25% over the same period, growing from 5082 to 5349. The proportion of people named Squire per 100,000 also decreased slightly, falling by 3.72% from 1.88 to 1.81.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,198 | #6,363 | -2.66% |
| Count | 5,082 | 5,349 | 5.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.88 | 1.81 | -3.72% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Squire
The ethnicity distribution of the surname Squire also experienced some changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Among those with the surname, there was an increase in representation among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (up by 42.55%), those selecting two or more races (45.14% increase), Hispanic (60% increase), Black (3.59% increase), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (7.27% increase). However, there was a decrease in the percentage of individuals identifying as White, falling by 4.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 69.99% | 67.17% | -4.03% |
| Black | 25.34% | 26.25% | 3.59% |
| Hispanic | 1.65% | 2.64% | 60% |
| Two or More Races | 1.44% | 2.09% | 45.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.1% | 1.18% | 7.27% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.67% | 42.55% |
Squire 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 Squire is British & Irish, which comprises 53.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.2% |
| French & German | 22.7% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 4.3% |
| Other | 19.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Squire
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 Squire have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 84.40% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 84.40% |
What Squire 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 Squire is R-CTS4179, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4179 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-P312 and R-DF88, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Goad, Brandon, Beard, Friend, Faulk, Squires, Henshaw, Harker, Baird, Scroggins.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Squire surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Squire 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.
"Squire" Surname 42.9%
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.
"Squire" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Squire" Surname 11.4%
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.
"Squire" Surname 15.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Squire?
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 Squire are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition