Explore the Family Name Starke
The meaning of Starke
1. German and Dutch: nickname for a strong, bold person, from Middle High German stark(e), Middle Dutch starck(e), staerk(e) ‘strong, brave’. 2. English: variant of Stark.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Starke in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Starke's popularity experienced a slight decrease in rank from 2000 to 2010, slipping from 9436 to 9813, which equates to a change of -4.0%. However, the count of individuals with this surname actually increased by 4.4% during this same period, rising from 3160 to 3299. The proportion of Starkes per 100,000 people also saw a minor dip of -4.27%, moving from 1.17 to 1.12.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,436 | #9,813 | -4% |
| Count | 3,160 | 3,299 | 4.4% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.17 | 1.12 | -4.27% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Starke
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the Starke surname identify as White, making up 81.33% in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 80.02% in 2010. Those identifying as Black comprised the second largest group, remaining relatively steady at 15.57% in 2000 and 15.43% in 2010. Interestingly, those identifying as Hispanic saw a significant increase of 130.69% over the decade, jumping from 1.01% to 2.33%. Meanwhile, individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or Two or More Races also saw increases of 10.53% and 12.03% respectively. Conversely, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by -21.05%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.33% | 80.02% | -1.61% |
| Black | 15.57% | 15.43% | -0.9% |
| Hispanic | 1.01% | 2.33% | 130.69% |
| Two or More Races | 1.33% | 1.49% | 12.03% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.42% | 10.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.38% | 0.3% | -21.05% |
Starke 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 Starke is British & Irish, which comprises 42.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (30.1%) and Italian (7.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.5% |
| French & German | 30.1% |
| Italian | 7.6% |
| Other | 19.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Starke
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 Starke have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
What Starke 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 Starke is O-F2415, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F2415 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include E-M183 and O-F2859, which are predominantly found among people with European and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Starke surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Cham
One of the many populations harboring members of haplogroup O1b1a1a1a1 is the Cham ethnic group, a group of people who speak Austronesian languages in Mainland Southeast Asia. Austronesian languages make up a language family that is extremely large and widespread, comprising over 350 million people on islands such as Madagascar, Easter Island, and many others. However, Austronesian languages are less common on mainland Asia, with a notable exception being the Chamic language. Research suggests that ancestors of the Cham people migrated from Southeast Asian islands to the mainland around the year 500 BCE, and that early Cham populations quickly began mixing with indigenous southern Vietnamese populations. As a result, the Chamic language now has words that were borrowed from languages spoken by indigenous Vietnamese people. It is likely that an ancestral Kinh population was one of the populations that mixed with the Cham people shortly after their migration to mainland Asia.
Your 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 Starke 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.
"Starke" Surname 45.8%
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.
"Starke" Surname 27.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Starke" Surname 14.7%
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.
"Starke" Surname 16.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Starke?
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 Starke are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition