Explore the Family Name Vance
The meaning of Vance
1. Scottish: apparently a spelling pronunciation of Vans, a misreading of Vaus (see Vause), in which -u- has been miscopied as -n-. If true, it is probably limited to the Vans or Vaus family of Wigtownshire. It may be this surname that appears in Ireland from the early 17th century, especially in Ulster, but it could alternatively be the English name in 2 below. 2. English: if not a transcription error for Vause (a surname well evidenced in Warwickshire and Leicestershire), a variant of Vann, with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Vance in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Vance saw some shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Vance was ranked 686th in popularity among all surnames, but by 2010 it had slipped slightly to the 737th position, marking a decrease of 7.43 percent. Despite this drop in rank, the total count of individuals bearing the Vance name actually increased over this decade-long period, growing by 3.41 percent from 45,763 in 2000 to 47,324 in 2010. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, the presence of the Vance surname showed a slight decline, dropping by 5.42 percent from 16.96 to 16.04.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #686 | #737 | -7.43% |
| Count | 45,763 | 47,324 | 3.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 16.96 | 16.04 | -5.42% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Vance
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the Vance surname. The data reveals that between 2000 and 2010, the largest percentage of Vances identified as White, although this majority decreased slightly from 83.42 percent to 81.62 percent. There were noteworthy increases in the proportions of Vances identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic, which rose by 41.03 percent and 61.59 percent respectively. Those identifying as belonging to two or more races also increased by 23.18 percent. Meanwhile, the proportion of Vances identifying as Black saw a modest increase of 3.37 percent, while those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native declined by 8.45 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.42% | 81.62% | -2.16% |
| Black | 12.46% | 12.88% | 3.37% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.44% | 61.59% |
| Two or More Races | 1.51% | 1.86% | 23.18% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0.65% | -8.45% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.39% | 0.55% | 41.03% |
Vance 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 Vance is British & Irish, which comprises 55.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.8%) and Scandinavian (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.1% |
| French & German | 23.8% |
| Scandinavian | 3.8% |
| Other | 17.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Vance
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 Vance have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 86.60% |
What Vance 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 Vance 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-BY451 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Elliott, Clifton, Cameron, Phillips, Hughes, Black, Evans, Lloyd, Jones, Morgan.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Vance 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 Vance 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.
"Vance" Surname 43.7%
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.
"Vance" Surname 25.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Vance" Surname 24.9%
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.
"Vance" Surname 19.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Vance?
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 Vance are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition