Explore the Family Name Syed
The meaning of Syed
Muslim: variant of Sayed ‘lord, master’ (see Said 1). Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Ali, Ahmed, Mohammed, Asif, Hassan, Mahmood, Nadeem, Shahid, Akbar, Hasan, Iqbal, Mohammad.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Syed in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Syed has seen a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In terms of ranking, the name moved from 5969th place in 2000 to 3657th place in 2010, marking an upward shift of 38.73%. The count of people with this surname also rose dramatically from 5310 individuals in 2000 to 9722 in 2010, indicating an 83.09% increase. Accordingly, the proportion of people named Syed per 100,000 increased by 67.51% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,969 | #3,657 | 38.73% |
| Count | 5,310 | 9,722 | 83.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.97 | 3.3 | 67.51% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Syed
The ethnic identity data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals with the surname Syed identify themselves as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group grew from representing 79.72% of the Syeds in 2000 to 89.70% in 2010, showing a 12.52% increase. The second largest ethnic group was those identifying as two or more races, but their representation among the Syeds decreased by 62.85%. The percentages of people identifying as White, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native also dropped during this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 79.72% | 89.7% | 12.52% |
| White | 7.06% | 4.22% | -40.23% |
| Two or More Races | 10.04% | 3.73% | -62.85% |
| Hispanic | 1.37% | 1.25% | -8.76% |
| Black | 1.56% | 0.88% | -43.59% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.24% | 0.21% | -12.5% |
Syed 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 Syed is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 55.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (15.9%) and Bengali & Northeast Indian (10.4%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, Central Asian, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, French & German, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 55.7% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 15.9% |
| Bengali & Northeast Indian | 10.4% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Syed
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 Syed have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Pakistan, and India.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Punjab, Pakistan | 30.40% |
| Telangana, India | 24.20% |
| Punjab, India | 22.70% |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | 22.70% |
| Uttar Pradesh, India | 21.10% |
What Syed 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 Syed is R-Y6, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y6 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-Y7 and R-Z93, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hussain, Ahmed, Ali, Mohammed, Kumar, Ahmad, Sharma, Khan, Rahman, Malik.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Syed surname are: M, H, U7. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Syed 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.
"Syed" Surname 41.0%
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.
"Syed" Surname 32.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Syed" Surname 13.3%
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.
"Syed" Surname 12.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Syed?
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 Syed are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition