Explore the Family Name Windsor
The meaning of Windsor
English: 1. habitational name from Windsor (Berkshire), Windsor in Stratford upon Avon (Warwickshire), Winsor in Copythorne (Hampshire), Winsor in Yealmpton (Devon), or Broadwindsor and Little Windsor (Dorset). All these places have the same linguistic origin, whose meaning is controversial, but seems to be ‘windlass bank’ (Old English windels + ōra). 2. in Yorkshire perhaps a habitational name from Winds Over in Middleton (near Ilkley, Yorkshire). The placename probably derives from Old English wind ‘wind’ (genitive windes) + ofer ‘slope, hill, ridge’. History: Windsor is the surname of the present British royal family, adopted in place of Wettin in 1917 as a response to anti-German feeling during WWI. The original surname of Edward VII (and hence of George V up to 1917) was Wettin, his father, Prince Albert, being Prince Wettin of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The family took the name Windsor from the place in Berkshire, England, where Windsor Castle is a royal residence. There is unlikely to be any royal connection for American bearers, however: the name was an ordinary English habitational surname for centuries before this event.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Windsor in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Windsor' experienced a slight change between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this name dropped from the 4391st position in 2000 to the 4652nd position in 2010, marking a decrease of 5.94%. Conversely, the count of individuals with the 'Windsor' surname increased modestly by 1.9% during the same period, from 7479 people to 7621. However, the proportion of the U.S. population with this surname per 100,000 people declined by 6.86%, from 2.77 in 2000 to 2.58 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,391 | #4,652 | -5.94% |
| Count | 7,479 | 7,621 | 1.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.77 | 2.58 | -6.86% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Windsor
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the Windsor surname is primarily held by individuals identifying as White, which comprised 89.83% of the total in 2010, a minor decrease from 90.75% in 2000. Other ethnic identities associated with the 'Windsor' surname include Black (5.27% in 2010), Hispanic (2.02%), and those identifying with two or more races (1.63%). Notably, the biggest changes were observed within the Asian/Pacific Islander group, where an increase of 44.9% was recorded, and the Hispanic group, with a rise of 21.69%. A slight decrease of 3.57% was seen among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.75% | 89.83% | -1.01% |
| Black | 5.21% | 5.27% | 1.15% |
| Hispanic | 1.66% | 2.02% | 21.69% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 1.63% | 23.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.71% | 44.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0.54% | -3.57% |
Windsor 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 Windsor is British & Irish, which comprises 59.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.5%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.2% |
| French & German | 22.5% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 13.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Windsor
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 Windsor have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
What Windsor 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 Windsor is R-Z8, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z8 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Jack, Langdon, Haines, Davies, Bishop, Griffith, Lacey, Forbes, Farr, Edge.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Windsor 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 Windsor 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.
"Windsor" Surname 43.6%
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.
"Windsor" Surname 29.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Windsor" 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.
"Windsor" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Windsor?
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 Windsor are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition