Explore the Family Name Topping
The meaning of Topping
English (Lancashire): 1. nickname from Middle English topping(e) ‘hair on the head’, probably given to someone with a distinctive head of hair or forelock. See also Topp and Topham. 2. perhaps from an unrecorded Old English personal name Topping, a pet form of Topp. See also Topp. 3. perhaps occasionally a topographic name from Middle English topping ‘hilltop’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Topping in the United States?
The surname Topping, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname dropped by 3.68%, going from 9159 in 2000 to 9496 in 2010. Despite this, the number of people with the Topping surname increased by 4.52% during the same period, totaling 3423 individuals in 2010 as compared to 3275 in 2000. However, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 4.13%, suggesting that while more people bear the surname Topping, its prevalence relative to other surnames has slightly decreased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,159 | #9,496 | -3.68% |
| Count | 3,275 | 3,423 | 4.52% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.21 | 1.16 | -4.13% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Topping
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows shifts within the Topping surname bearers. Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic notably increased by 55.10% and 46.00% respectively, albeit they still represent a small portion of the total. Those identifying as Two or More Races and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw moderate increases, at 10.75% and 9.48% respectively. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black increased from 7.97% to 9.00%. The largest ethnic group, White, saw a minor decrease of 2.82%, yet remained the majority at 83.38% in 2010. This illustrates an increasing diversity among individuals with the Topping surname over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.8% | 83.38% | -2.82% |
| Black | 7.97% | 9% | 12.92% |
| Two or More Races | 2.14% | 2.37% | 10.75% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.11% | 2.31% | 9.48% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.19% | 46% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.76% | 55.1% |
Topping 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 Topping is British & Irish, which comprises 57.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.8%) and Eastern European (5.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.9% |
| French & German | 22.8% |
| Eastern European | 5.4% |
| Other | 13.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Topping
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 Topping have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 89.50% |
What Topping 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 Topping 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 R-L664 and R-M417, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gurney, Goff, Drake, Humphreys, Easton, Cousins, Myer, Fenn, Reece, Morrell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Topping surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Topping 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.
"Topping" Surname 34.8%
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.
"Topping" Surname 34.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Topping" Surname 22.2%
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.
"Topping" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Topping?
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 Topping are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition