Explore the Family Name Van Ness
The meaning of Van Ness
Altered form of Dutch Van Nes or Van Nesse, a habitational name for someone from any of various places called Nes, denoting a spit of land. History: This surname is recorded in Beverwyck in New Netherland (now Albany, NY) in the mid-17th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Van Ness in the United States?
The surname Van Ness was ranked 7,631 in popularity according to the 2000 Decennial U.S. Census and dropped slightly to 7,736 in 2010, demonstrating a decline of 1.38% in its rank. However, the count of people bearing the Van Ness name rose from 4,015 in 2000 to 4,291 in 2010 — an increase of 6.87%. The proportion per 100,000 citizens with this surname also decreased by 2.68%, moving from 1.49 to 1.45 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,631 | #7,736 | -1.38% |
| Count | 4,015 | 4,291 | 6.87% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.49 | 1.45 | -2.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Van Ness
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that most individuals with the Van Ness surname identified as White, although this percentage fell marginally from 91.88% in 2000 to 90.26% in 2010. Meanwhile, the representation of the surname within the Hispanic community saw the most significant increase, rising by 51.74% over the decade. Individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent bearing the surname also increased slightly from 0.47% to 0.49%. Those identifying as having two or more races increased by 25.79%, while those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases of 6.86% and 12.00% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.88% | 90.26% | -1.76% |
| Black | 4.08% | 4.36% | 6.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.72% | 2.61% | 51.74% |
| Two or More Races | 1.59% | 2% | 25.79% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.49% | 4.26% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.25% | 0.28% | 12% |
Van Ness 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 Van Ness is British & Irish, which comprises 44.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.2%) and Italian (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.5% |
| French & German | 28.2% |
| Italian | 4.8% |
| Other | 22.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Van Ness
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 Van Ness have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 82.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.00% |
What Van Ness 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 Van Ness is R-DF88, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-DF88 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-A294 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Batchelder, Killian, Spangler, Zeigler, O'Dell, Loucks, Barrington, Dykes, Pennell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Van Ness surname are: H1, N, 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 Van Ness 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.
"Van Ness" Surname 19.2%
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.
"Van Ness" Surname 32.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Van Ness" Surname 23.7%
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.
"Van Ness" Surname 13.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Van Ness?
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 Van Ness are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition