Explore the Family Name Stevens
The meaning of Stevens
English (London), Flemish, Dutch, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Steven. The surname of Flemish origin is also found in the Walloon part of Belgium. In North America, the English form of the surname has also absorbed some like-sounding Jewish names and various other European cognates, e.g. Greek Stefanidis, Serbian Stevanović (see Stevanovic), Slovenian and Slovak Štefanič (see Stefanic).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Stevens in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Stevens has shown some fluctuation between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 122nd most popular surname but dropped to the 135th position in 2010, indicating a decrease by 10.66%. However, the total count of people with the Stevens surname increased from 181,417 to 185,674 within the same timeframe, an increase of 2.35%. Accordingly, the proportion per 100,000 people fell by 6.41% from 67.25 to 62.94.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #122 | #135 | -10.66% |
| Count | 181,417 | 185,674 | 2.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 67.25 | 62.94 | -6.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Stevens
In regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data provides a broad view of the ethnic identity associated with the surname Stevens. There has been a noticeable growth in diversity, particularly among Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander populations, which saw increases of 53.07% and 20.75%, respectively, between 2000 and 2010. The number of people identifying as two or more races also rose by 24.39%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals with the Stevens surname identifying as White saw a slight decrease, dropping from 83.40% in 2000 to 81.44% in 2010. The Black population recorded a modest increase of 3.68%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category experienced an 8.13% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.4% | 81.44% | -2.35% |
| Black | 11.4% | 11.82% | 3.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.79% | 2.74% | 53.07% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.04% | 24.39% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.23% | 1.33% | 8.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.53% | 0.64% | 20.75% |
Stevens 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 Stevens is British & Irish, which comprises 50.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.0%) and Eastern European (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.5% |
| French & German | 24.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.6% |
| Other | 20.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Stevens
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 Stevens have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
What Stevens 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 Stevens is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M34 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Taylor, Smith, Stephens, Clark, Mitchell, Brown, Thompson, White, Wilson, Young.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Stevens surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Stevens 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.
"Stevens" Surname 42.4%
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.
"Stevens" Surname 27.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Stevens" Surname 23.5%
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.
"Stevens" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Stevens?
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 Stevens are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition