Explore the Family Name Stirling
The meaning of Stirling
Scottish (Lanarkshire): habitational name from Stirling (Stirlingshire), earlier Scots Strivilin (or similar), a name of uncertain etymology. It is recorded in the 12th century as Strevelin, and is perhaps from a river name. This surname is also common in northern Ireland (Antrim and Derry).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Stirling in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Stirling" has seen a slight shift in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Stirling was ranked 10,869th, but by 2010 it had dropped to 11,158th, a decline of approximately 2.66%. The actual count of individuals with the Stirling surname rose from 2,691 in 2000 to 2,836 in 2010, which represents an increase of 5.39%. However, the proportion of Stirlings per 100k people slightly decreased by 4.0% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,869 | #11,158 | -2.66% |
| Count | 2,691 | 2,836 | 5.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1 | 0.96 | -4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Stirling
As for the ethnicity associated with the surname 'Stirling', again based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the largest group remains those identifying as White, although there was a minor decline from 94.39% in 2000 to 93.62% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of Stirlings identifying as Hispanic and Black saw increases of 57.45% and 31.41% respectively. Individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent and those identifying with two or more races have seen decreases in their representation among Stirlings, dropping by 24.32% and 32.16% respectively. There was also a significant increase in the percentage of Stirlings identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which more than doubled from 0.19% to 0.39%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.39% | 93.62% | -0.82% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.22% | 57.45% |
| Black | 1.56% | 2.05% | 31.41% |
| Two or More Races | 1.71% | 1.16% | -32.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.74% | 0.56% | -24.32% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.19% | 0.39% | 105.26% |
Stirling 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 Stirling is British & Irish, which comprises 64.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (16.8%) and Eastern European (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 64.7% |
| French & German | 16.8% |
| Eastern European | 4.5% |
| Other | 13.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Stirling
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 Stirling have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 91.80% |
What Stirling 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 Stirling is I-Y4925, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-Y4925 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-S691 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ferris, Pate, Wentz, Page, Mcgregor, Sterling, Macgregor, Alexander, Christie, Black.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Stirling surname are: U4, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your 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 Stirling 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.
"Stirling" Surname 29.0%
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.
"Stirling" Surname 32.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Stirling" Surname 12.0%
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.
"Stirling" Surname 14.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Stirling?
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 Stirling are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition