Explore the Family Name Sykes
The meaning of Sykes
English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): topographic name for someone who lived near a small watercourse, especially one flowing through flat or marshy ground, or near a gully, dip, or hollow, from Middle English sik(e) ‘stream, ditch’ (Old Norse sík). Early and later examples of the surname occur in alternate singular and plural forms. It is the plural or -s form that has become the general usage as a surname, perhaps reinforced by the common practice in the post-medieval period of adding excrescent -s to topographic surnames with an original singular form. By the 16th century the name had spread by migration into the North Midlands. Elsewhere, only Norfolk seems to have produced this name independently, but its survival into the present day is uncertain. Compare Sitch, which once flourished in the West Midlands, and derives from an equivalent word, Middle English sich, of Old English origin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sykes in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Sykes slightly decreased in rank from 1214 in 2000 to 1276 in 2010, with a decrease of 5.11%. Despite this, the actual count of people with the surname increased during this time period by 4.24%, from 26,425 in 2000 to 27,546 in 2010. This indicates that the name's popularity did not diminish significantly, even though it moved down in rank.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,214 | #1,276 | -5.11% |
| Count | 26,425 | 27,546 | 4.24% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.8 | 9.34 | -4.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sykes
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Sykes also saw changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage identifying as White decreased from 56.45% in 2000 to 54.03% in 2010. However, there was an increase among those identifying as Black (from 39.91% to 40.82%), Hispanic (from 1.26% to 1.99%), Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.34% to 0.40%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.31% to 0.33%). There was a notable growth in the proportion of individuals identifying as Two or more races, from 1.73% to 2.44%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 56.45% | 54.03% | -4.29% |
| Black | 39.91% | 40.82% | 2.28% |
| Two or More Races | 1.73% | 2.44% | 41.04% |
| Hispanic | 1.26% | 1.99% | 57.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.4% | 17.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.33% | 6.45% |
Sykes 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 Sykes is British & Irish, which comprises 53.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.1%) and Nigerian (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.6% |
| French & German | 18.1% |
| Nigerian | 4.6% |
| Other | 23.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Sykes
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 Sykes have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 80.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.60% |
What Sykes 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 Sykes is R-M467, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M467 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z282 and R-CTS8401, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Potter, Marquardt, Mackay, Raymond, Boyd, Ring, Hurst, Roe, Wetzel, Monk.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sykes surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara
Though haplogroup H1 rarely reaches high frequencies beyond western Europe, over 60% of eastern Tuareg in Libya belong to haplogroup H1. The Tuareg call themselves the Imazghan, meaning “free people.” They are an isolated, semi-nomadic people who inhabit the West-Central Sahara and are known today for a distinctive dark blue turban worn by the men, and for their long history as gatekeepers of the desert.How did women carrying H1 make it all the way from western Europe to this isolated community? They likely migrated from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco after the Last Ice Age, where they were assimilated into the Berbers of the Mediterranean coast. Then, about 5,000 years ago, the Sahara shifted from a period of relative habitable conditions to its dramatically arid desert environment. This shift may have caused migrations throughout the Sahara, prompting the ancient Tuaregs to meet and mingle with the Berbers, bringing H1 lineages into their population.
What do people with the surname Sykes 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.
"Sykes" Surname 40.6%
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.
"Sykes" Surname 31.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sykes" Surname 23.1%
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.
"Sykes" Surname 16.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sykes?
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 Sykes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition