Explore the Family Name Winfrey
The meaning of Winfrey
English: 1. from the Middle English male personal name Winfrey, probably an Anglo-Norman French form of ancient Germanic Winefrid, Winefred, although it could alternatively be a survival of the rare early Old English name Winefrith or the equally rare Old English Wynfryth. Winefrid and Winefrith are composed of Germanic words for ‘friend’ and ‘peace’, while the first element of Wynfryth is Old English wynn ‘joy’. 2. alternatively perhaps a variant of Winford, a habitational name from Winfrith Newburgh (Dorset), but Winfrey is chiefly found in eastern England (especially Lincolnshire) from the 16th century onward.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Winfrey in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the Winfrey surname saw slight changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 4951 in terms of prevalence, slipping down to 5187 a decade later - a decrease of 4.77%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 6518 to 6740, showing a growth of 3.41%. Despite this rise in overall numbers, the proportion of people named Winfrey per 100,000 decreased by 5.79%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,951 | #5,187 | -4.77% |
| Count | 6,518 | 6,740 | 3.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.42 | 2.28 | -5.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Winfrey
The ethnic identity of individuals with the surname Winfrey also shifted somewhat during this period, as per the findings of the Decennial U.S. Census. The number identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew by 50%, while those identifying as two or more races saw an increase of 56.77%. The percentage of white individuals decreased slightly by 4.72%, whereas the Hispanic population rose significantly by 72.78%. The proportion of Black individuals remained relatively stable, with a small increase of 0.88%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a modest rise of 11.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.06% | 52.46% | -4.72% |
| Black | 40.86% | 41.22% | 0.88% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 2.73% | 72.78% |
| Two or More Races | 1.55% | 2.43% | 56.77% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.69% | 0.77% | 11.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.26% | 0.39% | 50% |
Winfrey 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 Winfrey is British & Irish, which comprises 50.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.5%) and Nigerian (7.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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 | 50.3% |
| French & German | 18.5% |
| Nigerian | 7.7% |
| Other | 23.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Winfrey
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 Winfrey have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
What Winfrey 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 Winfrey is R-S11477, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S11477 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and E-P252, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Higbee, Ballew, Bays, Morrell, Bird, Carrier, Stafford, Byrd, Freeman, Rumsey.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Winfrey surname are: H1, H, L3. 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 Winfrey 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.
"Winfrey" Surname 37.8%
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.
"Winfrey" Surname 43.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Winfrey" Surname 17.5%
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.
"Winfrey" Surname 15.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Winfrey?
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 Winfrey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition