Explore the Family Name Wolcott

The meaning of Wolcott

English (Devon and Surrey): habitational name from Wollacott in Thrushelton (Devon), named from the Old English personal name Wulfnōth + cot ‘cottage, hut, shelter’. This form of the surname is now rare in Britain. History: Henry Wolcott (1578–1655), clothier, came from Tolland, Somerset, England, and settled in Windsor, CT, in 1636. His grandson Roger (1679–1767) was colonial governor of CT; his great-grandson Oliver (1726–97) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Wolcott in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wolcott has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Wolcott ranked as 5974th most popular surname, while in 2010 it moved down to 6400th. The count of individuals with this surname remained relatively steady, increasing by just 0.15% over the decade. The proportion of people named Wolcott per 100,000 decreased by 8.63%, reflecting its lowered rank.

20002010Change
Rank#5,974#6,400-7.13%
Count5,3075,3150.15%
Proportion per 100k1.971.8-8.63%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wolcott

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Wolcott also saw changes in the ten years spanning 2000 to 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest increase was seen in the Hispanic community, with a 57.75% jump. Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying as two or more races also saw increases of 27.50% and 29.69% respectively. The white demographic decreased by 1.64% but still held the majority, with 93.64% of individuals with the surname Wolcott identifying as white in 2010. The proportions of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories remained fairly constant.

20002010Change
White95.2%93.64%-1.64%
Hispanic1.87%2.95%57.75%
Two or More Races1.28%1.66%29.69%
Black0.7%0.7%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.57%0.55%-3.51%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.4%0.51%27.5%

Wolcott 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 Wolcott is British & Irish, which comprises 48.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (27.4%) and Eastern European (5.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish48.4%
French & German27.4%
Eastern European5.6%
Other18.6%
Wolcott

Possible origins of the surname Wolcott

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 Wolcott have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom84.80%
Greater London, United Kingdom84.80%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom84.10%
Merseyside, United Kingdom84.10%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom84.10%

What Wolcott 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 Wolcott is R-Z11, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z11 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Van Winkle, Butterfield, Fincher, Oldham, Alley, Pointer, Tolbert, Talbert, Wolford, Hodges.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wolcott surname are: T2b, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

wolcottPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Paternal Haplo Image

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Wolcott 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

Wolcott

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Wolcott" Surname 45.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Wolcott

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Wolcott" Surname 27.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Wolcott

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Wolcott" Surname 21.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Wolcott

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Wolcott" Surname 19.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Wolcott?

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 Wolcott are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%