Explore the Family Name Woo

The meaning of Woo

1. Chinese: variant of Wu. 2. Korean: variant of U 1. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Young, Jung, Sang, Jin, Sung, Wing, Yong, Jae, Chen, Dong, Jong, Kwan. Korean Chong, Byung, Chung, Young Hoon, Chang, Jung Sook, Kyu Sung, Moon, Nam, Sook, Young Sik, Cheol.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Woo has shown a modest increase in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, Woo was ranked as the 2,824th most popular surname in the United States, with 11,628 individuals carrying the name. By 2010, this ranking had increased to 2,775th, with a total count of 13,003 individuals, marking an 11.82% rise. Furthermore, the proportion of people with the surname per 100,000 increased from 4.31 to 4.41, suggesting a steady growth in prevalence.

20002010Change
Rank#2,824#2,7751.74%
Count11,62813,00311.82%
Proportion per 100k4.314.412.32%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Woo

Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Woo identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group represented 88.33% of the Woos in 2000 and 86.86% in 2010, reflecting a slight decrease. The next largest group identified as White, followed closely by those identifying with two or more races, which saw a significant increase of 31.78% over the decade. Other groups, including Hispanic and American Indian/Alaskan Native, also experienced growth, while the proportion of Black individuals decreased slightly.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander88.33%86.86%-1.66%
Two or More Races3.65%4.81%31.78%
White4.95%4.65%-6.06%
Hispanic2.48%3.16%27.42%
Black0.52%0.44%-15.38%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.07%0.08%14.29%

Woo 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 Woo is Chinese, which comprises 52.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (17.7%) and British & Irish (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Chinese Dai, French & German, Vietnamese, Spanish & Portuguese, and Japanese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Chinese52.1%
Korean17.7%
British & Irish6.7%
Other23.5%
Woo

Possible origins of the surname Woo

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 Woo have recent ancestry locations all within China.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Guangdong, China59.90%
Fujian, China55.80%
Shanghai, China55.80%
Zhejiang, China55.50%
Shandong, China54.90%

What Woo 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 Woo is O-F46, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F46 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F8 and O-P164, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Zhu, Li, Sun, Feng, Wei, Zhao, Xu, Chou, Zhang, Yuan.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Woo surname are: A4, H, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.

wooPaternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to many of the Massim groups of Papua New Guinea

Haplogroup O2a is prevalent among Massim ethnic groups, including the populations of Airara, Nomanby, the eastern tip of the mainland, the Trobriand Islands, Gawa, Woodlark, the Laughland Islands, and western Calvados. While Papua New Guinea has been inhabited for over 50,000 years, the Massim may have arrived in the last 2,000 years. Today, these populations remain connected through a traditional island trading system called the Kula Ring. Under this exchange system, residents ensure that goods that are only available on some islands, but that are vitally needed in other islands, are shared among the island populations. Only Massim men participate in the Kula exchange system, and it is common for men to be away from home for months at a time when trading with men from other islands.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent

While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Woo 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

Woo

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Woo" Surname 32.9%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Woo

Misophonia

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

"Woo" Surname 19.2%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Woo

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Woo" Surname 10.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Woo

Migraine

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

"Woo" Surname 11.9%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Woo?

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

Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

ε4 variant

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and personality changes. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Alzheimer's disease, developing after age 65. Many factors, including genetics, can influence a person's chances of developing the condition. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the most common genetic variant associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease: the ε4 variant in the APOE gene. Learn more about Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

Chinese 18.2%

23andMe Users 25.5%