Explore the Family Name Troy
The meaning of Troy
1. Irish (Munster): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Troighthigh ‘descendant of Troightheach’, a byname meaning ‘foot soldier’. 2. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Troyes in Aude, France. There was also an Anglo-Norman family of this name in Ireland. 3. Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) Jewish or German surname, most probably Treu. 4. Flemish: from Middle Dutch troye ‘doublet’ or ‘jerkin’, possibly a metonymic occupational name for a tailor, or a nickname for someone who wore a striking garment of this kind. This surname is also found in France (Pas-de-Calais and Nord). 5. French: habitational name from a place so named in Haute-Garonne.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Troy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Troy has seen a slight shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Its rank among American surnames slipped from 4,125 to 4,383, indicating a decrease of 6.25%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased by 2.13%, with the number rising from 7,940 in 2000 to 8,109 in 2010. Yet, when considering its proportion per 100k people, it has seen a slight reduction of 6.46%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,125 | #4,383 | -6.25% |
| Count | 7,940 | 8,109 | 2.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.94 | 2.75 | -6.46% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Troy
Looking at the ethnic identity of individuals named Troy according to the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority self-identify as White, which decreased slightly from 79.84% in 2000 to 78.11% in 2010. Those who identify as Black also hold a significant percentage, showing a slight increase from 15.16% to 15.29% over this period. Individuals identifying as Hispanic saw the most substantial growth, increasing by 86.81%, albeit from a small base of 1.44% to 2.69%. Those who identify as being of two or more races also experienced an increase of 32.16%. In contrast, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native both saw decreases of 10% and 12.73%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.84% | 78.11% | -2.17% |
| Black | 15.16% | 15.29% | 0.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.44% | 2.69% | 86.81% |
| Two or More Races | 1.71% | 2.26% | 32.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.3% | 1.17% | -10% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.55% | 0.48% | -12.73% |
Troy 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 Troy is British & Irish, which comprises 44.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.0%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (11.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Nigerian, Scandinavian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.3% |
| French & German | 18.0% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 11.6% |
| Other | 26.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Troy
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 Troy have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 73.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.90% |
What Troy 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 Troy is R-Z16294, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z16294 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bean, Carroll, Hart, Gilson, Welch, Barker, Tracey, Dooley, Evans, Solomon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Troy 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 Troy 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.
"Troy" Surname 50.8%
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.
"Troy" Surname 15.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Troy" Surname 16.7%
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.
"Troy" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Troy?
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 Troy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition