Explore the Family Name Arsenault
The meaning of Arsenault
1. French Canadian: altered form of French Arsonneau, a derivative of Old French arson ‘saddle tree’, used as a nickname for a maker. In France, it is found mainly in Charente-Maritime. Compare Arceneaux, Arseneau, and Arseneault. 2. French: variant of Archenault, from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements ercan ‘precious, excellent’ + wald ‘rule, power’. This surname is very rare in France, found mainly in Loiret. History: François Arsenault alias Arsonneau, presumably from Charente-Maritime, France, is documented in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC, in 1665, when he married Suzanne Lecom(p)te. Pierre Arsenault alias Arsonneau, presumably from Charente-Maritime, France, and a relative of François, came to Acadia in 1671. He married twice: his first wife was Marguerite Dugas (from 1675) and the second Marie Guérin (from 1687). Pierre Arsenault alias Arsonneau is the forefather of almost all Acadian Arsenaults and Cajun Arceneauxs (see Arceneaux). Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Aime, Yvon, Adelard, Adrien, Alphonse, Andre, Lucien, Normand, Urbain, Alphee, Henri.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Arsenault in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Arsenault has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Arsenault was ranked 3814 in terms of popularity among all surnames in the United States, but by 2010 it had dropped to the 4052nd spot, marking a change of -6.24%. However, the actual count of individuals with the Arsenault surname increased by 2.59%, from 8539 people in 2000 to 8760 people in 2010. Despite this growth in numbers, the proportion of the population with this last name per 100k fell by -6.31%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,814 | #4,052 | -6.24% |
| Count | 8,539 | 8,760 | 2.59% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.17 | 2.97 | -6.31% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Arsenault
When we look at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Arsenault, there were some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of those with the surname identified as White, although this percentage decreased slightly from 97.33% in 2000 to 95.80% in 2010. The Hispanic representation nearly doubled, going from 0.81% in 2000 to 1.54% in 2010. There was also an increase in the percentage of those who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native. The most significant changes were seen in the Black and Hispanic populations, which saw increases of 75.00% and 90.12%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.33% | 95.8% | -1.57% |
| Hispanic | 0.81% | 1.54% | 90.12% |
| Two or More Races | 1.04% | 1.53% | 47.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.62% | 26.53% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.31% | 47.62% |
| Black | 0.12% | 0.21% | 75% |
Arsenault 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 Arsenault is British & Irish, which comprises 47.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.9%) and Spanish & Portuguese (7.5%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Greek & Balkan, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.3% |
| French & German | 26.9% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 7.5% |
| Other | 18.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Arsenault
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 Arsenault have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.10% |
What Arsenault 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 Arsenault is R-L165, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L165 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hubbell, Broussard, Easterling, Beall, Buie, Brunson, Frith, Bronson, Macleod, Terrill.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Arsenault surname are: H1, W, 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 Arsenault 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.
"Arsenault" Surname 47.9%
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.
"Arsenault" Surname 23.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Arsenault" Surname 22.8%
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.
"Arsenault" Surname 20.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Arsenault?
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 Arsenault are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition