Explore the Family Name Wicks
The meaning of Wicks
English (southern England and East Anglia): generally a variant of Wick, Wyke, or the obsolete form Week, with post-medieval excrescent -s. Occasionally from the plural form of Middle English wik(e), late Middle English weke ‘building, especially one where dairy products are made’ (compare Wick). An alternative Middle English plural form occurs in Wicken.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wicks in the United States?
The surname Wicks, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 3549th, but by 2010 it had dropped to 3735th, a decrease of 5.24%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the surname Wicks increased from 9190 in 2000 to 9489 in 2010, a rise of 3.25%. However, the proportion of people named Wicks per 100,000 also declined slightly, from 3.41 in 2000 to 3.22 in 2010, marking a decrease of 5.57%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,549 | #3,735 | -5.24% |
| Count | 9,190 | 9,489 | 3.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.41 | 3.22 | -5.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wicks
With regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Wicks identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose from 0.60% to 0.69%, an increase of 15%. Those identifying as of two or more races increased from 2.20% to 2.60%, an increase of 18.18%. The percentage of Wicks identifying as White decreased slightly from 74.34% to 72.38%, a decrease of 2.64%. The Hispanic population with the Wicks surname saw the most significant increase from 1.24% to 1.93%, a rise of 55.65%. The Black population increased marginally from 21.24% to 21.94%, a rise of 3.30%. Lastly, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native population increased from 0.38% to 0.46%, a rise of 21.05%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.34% | 72.38% | -2.64% |
| Black | 21.24% | 21.94% | 3.3% |
| Two or More Races | 2.2% | 2.6% | 18.18% |
| Hispanic | 1.24% | 1.93% | 55.65% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0.69% | 15% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.38% | 0.46% | 21.05% |
Wicks 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 Wicks is British & Irish, which comprises 44.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.3%) and Scandinavian (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.8% |
| French & German | 25.3% |
| Scandinavian | 6.7% |
| Other | 23.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Wicks
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 Wicks have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 78.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 77.60% |
What Wicks 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 Wicks is R-Z12, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z12 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-M417, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Weaver, Tharp, Thorpe, Morton, Hayward, Miller, Weber, Webb, Coleman, Muller.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wicks surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Wicks 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.
"Wicks" Surname 43.2%
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.
"Wicks" Surname 23.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wicks" Surname 25.7%
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.
"Wicks" Surname 15.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wicks?
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 Wicks are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition