Explore the Family Name Zook
The meaning of Zook
1. Americanized form of German Zug, a name of ultimately Swiss German origin (see Zaugg). Compare Sook. 2. Americanized form of Jewish, Belorussian, and Ukrainian Zhuk ‘beetle (scarab)’, and probably also of its Polish cognate Żuk (see Zuk). History: This (see 1 above) is the name of a Swiss Mennonite and Amish family, originally spelled Zaugg, but in Germany altered to Zug before being brought to North America in the 18th century. The American Mennonites and Amish named Zook are descendants of one of the brothers Christian, Johannes, and Moritz Zug, who arrived in PA in 1742 from Germany and settled in Chester County, but there were also other immigrants from Germany bearing the name Zug. The ancestors of the three brothers came to Germany from Signau in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. The name Zook is today also found among the Brethrens and Quakers.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zook in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Zook saw a marked increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Zook ranked as the 3,920th most common surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 3,613th spot, marking a 7.83% rise in rank. The number of people bearing the surname also grew, with the count increasing from 8,323 to 9,824 over the same period, reflecting an 18.03% growth. This resulted in the proportion of U.S. residents with the surname Zook per 100,000 individuals growing by 7.77%, from 3.09 to 3.33.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,920 | #3,613 | 7.83% |
| Count | 8,323 | 9,824 | 18.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.09 | 3.33 | 7.77% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zook
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Zook, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, saw significant changes between 2000 and 2010. In both years, the largest proportion of those with the surname Zook identified as White, at 96.68% in 2000 and 96.74% in 2010. However, there were notable shifts among other ethnic groups. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 17.86%, and those reporting two or more ethnicities rose by 43.90%. There was also a 34.41% increase in those identifying as Hispanic. On the other hand, the proportion of Black individuals with the surname Zook decreased substantially by 69.90%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a 26.92% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.68% | 96.74% | 0.06% |
| Hispanic | 0.93% | 1.25% | 34.41% |
| Two or More Races | 0.82% | 1.18% | 43.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.28% | 0.33% | 17.86% |
| Black | 1.03% | 0.31% | -69.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.19% | -26.92% |
Zook 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 Zook is French & German, which comprises 42.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (36.4%) and Eastern European (4.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.4% |
| British & Irish | 36.4% |
| Eastern European | 4.9% |
| Other | 16.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Zook
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 Zook have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
What Zook 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 Zook is R-L20, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L20 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include IJK-L15 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Largent, Milam, Haggard, Burson, Mcchesney, Chesnut, Oden, Giddings, Bedell, Lively.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Zook surname are: H1, U2_3_4_7_8_9, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Zook 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.
"Zook" Surname 41.2%
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.
"Zook" Surname 32.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Zook" Surname 11.9%
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.
"Zook" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Zook?
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 Zook are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition