Explore the Family Name Wadsworth
The meaning of Wadsworth
English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from Wadsworth near Halifax, Yorkshire. The placename derives from an Old English personal name Wæddi (genitive Wæddes) + Old English worth ‘enclosure’. History: William Wadsworth came from England to Cambridge, MA, in 1632, and in 1636 accompanied Thomas Hooker as one of the founders of Hartford, CT. — John Wadsworth (died 1787) was a fellow of Harvard College and is buried in the old burial ground in Cambridge, MA. Peleg Wadsworth, born in Duxbury, MA, 1748, was a revolutionary war general and grandfather of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wadsworth in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Wadsworth has seen a small decrease in the last decade. In 2000, Wadsworth ranked as the 3,406th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 3,588th position, reflecting a 5.34% decline. Despite this drop in ranking, the absolute number of individuals with the Wadsworth surname saw an increase from 9,625 in 2000 to 9,912 in 2010, which represents a growth of 2.98%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,406 | #3,588 | -5.34% |
| Count | 9,625 | 9,912 | 2.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.57 | 3.36 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wadsworth
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the Wadsworth surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of people with this surname identified as White, although there was a slight decrease from 90.47% in 2000 to 89.00% in 2010. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 1.44% to 2.17%, representing a 50.69% change. Other ethnic identities, such as Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying with two or more races, also saw increases of 27.03% and 32.64% respectively. The percentage of people identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable, with modest increases of 3.02% and 2.62% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.47% | 89% | -1.62% |
| Black | 3.98% | 4.1% | 3.02% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.29% | 2.35% | 2.62% |
| Hispanic | 1.44% | 2.17% | 50.69% |
| Two or More Races | 1.44% | 1.91% | 32.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.47% | 27.03% |
Wadsworth 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 Wadsworth is British & Irish, which comprises 55.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.9%) and Italian (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.5% |
| French & German | 24.9% |
| Italian | 3.5% |
| Other | 16.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Wadsworth
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 Wadsworth have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
What Wadsworth 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 Wadsworth 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 G-Z16775 and R-BY250, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Whiteley, Prince, Moon, Sherman, Breeden, Kerr, Cameron, Devine, Kendrick, Pierson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wadsworth 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 Wadsworth 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.
"Wadsworth" 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.
"Wadsworth" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wadsworth" Surname 26.8%
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.
"Wadsworth" Surname 20.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wadsworth?
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 Wadsworth are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition