Explore the Family Name Waggoner
The meaning of Waggoner
1. Americanized form of German or Dutch Wagner or its German and Dutch variants Wagener and Wagenaar. Compare Waggener and Wagoner. 2. Possibly also English: altered form of Waghorn. The surname Waggoner is very rare in Britain. History: A planter named John Waggener or Waggoner, who came to America c.1670 and lived in Essex County, VA, is said to have been born in Colchester, Essex (England). No documentary source for this origin is given and an English origin is difficult to establish. The nearest similar English surname is Wagner 2, a very rare Norfolk name, originating in the 14th century. In 17th-century Kent a number of families named Waghorn alias Wagon were occasionally also known as Waggoner (through false association with that word). Direct derivation from the English word wag(g)on is not possible, since it was borrowed into English only in the 16th century from Dutch, and wag(g)oner is an early Modern English coinage.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Waggoner in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Waggoner has seen a slight decrease in ranking over the past decade. In 2000, Waggoner was ranked as the 2287th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to the 2417th spot, marking a change of -5.68%. However, even though the rank decreased, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 14,556 to 14,983, which is a growth of 2.93%. The proportion per 100,000 people also slightly diminished from 5.4 to 5.08, reflecting a -5.93% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,287 | #2,417 | -5.68% |
| Count | 14,556 | 14,983 | 2.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.4 | 5.08 | -5.93% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Waggoner
When looking at the ethnicity associated with the surname Waggoner, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest proportion of individuals identifying as Waggoner were white, although this group saw a small decrease of -1.09%, moving from 93.38% to 92.36%. The Hispanic population with this surname saw the most significant increase, growing by 49.31% from 1.44% to 2.15%. The number of people of Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying with two or more races also rose, by 16.67% and 24.65% respectively. Conversely, the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations each saw slight declines, with changes of -0.76% and -11.54% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.38% | 92.36% | -1.09% |
| Black | 2.62% | 2.6% | -0.76% |
| Hispanic | 1.44% | 2.15% | 49.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 1.77% | 24.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.78% | 0.69% | -11.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.42% | 16.67% |
Waggoner 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 Waggoner is British & Irish, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.1%) and Scandinavian (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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 | 56.9% |
| French & German | 26.1% |
| Scandinavian | 4.6% |
| Other | 12.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Waggoner
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 Waggoner have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 92.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 92.30% |
What Waggoner 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 Waggoner is R-M405, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M405 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S16361 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Warner, Janssen, Schumacher, Atkinson, Beckman, Muller, Bennett, Schroeder, Mueller, Cooke.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Waggoner surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Waggoner 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.
"Waggoner" Surname 40.3%
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.
"Waggoner" Surname 22.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Waggoner" Surname 27.9%
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.
"Waggoner" Surname 23.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Waggoner?
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 Waggoner are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition