Explore the Family Name Stefan
The meaning of Stefan
1. Romanian and Polish; Slovenian, Croatian, and Slovak (Štefan): from the personal names Stefan (Romanian, Polish) and Štefan (Slovenian, Croatian dialect, Slovak), from Greek Stephanos, Latin Stephanus (see Steven). 2. American shortened form of various patronymics and other derivatives from the personal names Štefan and Stefan(os) ‘Steven’, e.g. Slovenian Štefančič and Croatian Štefančić (see Stefancic), Slovak Štefanovič (see Stefanovic), and Greek Stefanopoulos. Compare Stephan and Steven. 3. German: variant of Stephan. Some characteristic forenames: German Franz, Kurt, Helmut, Darrold, Erwin, Gerhard, Heinrich, Heinz, Otto. Romanian Constantin, Gheorghe, Ilie, Nicolae, Gelu, Mihai, Mircea, Radu, Todor, Vasile, Viorel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Stefan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Stefan has slightly increased over time. In 2000, Stefan was ranked as the 10,757th most popular name in the United States, with a count of 2,722, representing 1.01 individuals per 100,000 population. By 2010, the rank had moved up to 10,628, with a count of 3,013, or 1.02 individuals per 100,000 population. This represents a 1.2% increase in rank and a 10.69% increase in count over a decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,757 | #10,628 | 1.2% |
| Count | 2,722 | 3,013 | 10.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.01 | 1.02 | 0.99% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Stefan
When it comes to ethnic identity, the majority of individuals with the surname Stefan identify as White, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. This group made up 95.55% of the total in 2000, decreasing slightly to 93.49% by 2010. The second largest ethnicity group is those identifying as two or more races, which increased from 1.40% to 1.63% over the decade. Individuals identifying as Hispanic showed significant growth, increasing from 1.58% to 2.99%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black also saw a slight increase from 0.92% to 0.96%. The groups identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native were not represented in the 2010 data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.55% | 93.49% | -2.16% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 2.99% | 89.24% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 1.63% | 16.43% |
| Black | 0.92% | 0.96% | 4.35% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Stefan 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 Stefan is Greek & Balkan, which comprises 31.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (20.3%) and French & German (18.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Filipino & Austronesian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Greek & Balkan | 31.7% |
| British & Irish | 20.3% |
| French & German | 18.2% |
| Other | 29.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Stefan
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 Stefan have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Romania.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 41.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 41.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 41.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 41.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 41.10% |
What Stefan 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 Stefan is R-Z282, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z282 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include J-L283 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Berndt, Hoppe, Strom, Pfeffer, Braithwaite, Gable, Cochrane, Voelker, Reinhart, Monson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Stefan surname are: U4, H1, 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 Stefan 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.
"Stefan" Surname 56.4%
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.
"Stefan" Surname 34.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Stefan" Surname 11.1%
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.
"Stefan" Surname 14.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Stefan?
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 Stefan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition