Explore the Family Name Wilkes
The meaning of Wilkes
1. English (West Midlands): either a variant of Wilk, with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s, or from the Middle English personal name Wilcus, an uncommon pet form of a personal name in Wil-. The suffix is a double diminutive -k + -us, the latter being used with Old English female names (compare Aldous). So Wilcus may also be a pet form of an Old English female name such as Wilburg. Alternatively, it may have been used with Norman personal names of either gender, for example as a pet form of William. If Wilcus became an inherited surname it would quickly have become merged with Wilkes. Wilcus may also have been absorbed into Wildgoose. 2. Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name Wilke, a pet form of Will.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wilkes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wilkes has seen a slight fluctuation in popularity over the years. In 2000, it ranked 1856 and rose to 1975 by the year 2010, indicating a drop in rank of 6.41%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased slightly from 17,797 in 2000 to 18,314 in 2010, a growth of 2.9%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a minor decrease from 6.6 to 6.21 over the same decade, a change of -5.91%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,856 | #1,975 | -6.41% |
| Count | 17,797 | 18,314 | 2.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.6 | 6.21 | -5.91% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wilkes
When it comes to ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census show that there were notable changes for the Wilkes surname between 2000 and 2010. For instance, those who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and having two or more races each saw increases of 16.13% and 33.33% respectively. On the other hand, the proportion of people identifying as White decreased by 2.64%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also reduced slightly by 4.92%. The largest increase was in the Hispanic group, which grew by 71.54%. The percentage of Black individuals remained relatively stable, with only a slight increase of 1.68%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.2% | 69.32% | -2.64% |
| Black | 25.04% | 25.46% | 1.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.3% | 2.23% | 71.54% |
| Two or More Races | 1.53% | 2.04% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.61% | 0.58% | -4.92% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.36% | 16.13% |
Wilkes 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 Wilkes is British & Irish, which comprises 61.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.6%) and Eastern European (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 61.2% |
| French & German | 18.6% |
| Eastern European | 4.0% |
| Other | 16.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Wilkes
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 Wilkes have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.50% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.20% |
What Wilkes 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 Wilkes is R-S3933, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S3933 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF25 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wilks, French, Gregory, Kirby, Holley, Daniel, Bolton, Parker, Smith, Harvey.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wilkes surname are: H1, H, V. 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 Wilkes 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.
"Wilkes" Surname 40.4%
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.
"Wilkes" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wilkes" Surname 26.0%
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.
"Wilkes" Surname 17.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wilkes?
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 Wilkes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition