Explore the Family Name Beaulieu

The meaning of Beaulieu

1. French: habitational name from any of numerous places in France named with Old French beu, bel ‘fair, lovely’ + lieu ‘place’. Compare Bolia, Bolio, and Boulier 1. 2. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of the places in France mentioned in 1 above or from Beaulieu in Hampshire, seat of the Montagu family. History: Charles Beaulieu from Bayonne in Gascony, France, married Marie-Barbe Auger in Montreal, QC, in 1726. — In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name. One of its bearers was Pierre Hudon dit Beaulieu from France (see Hudon). Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Armand, Normand, Andre, Lucien, Emile, Jacques, Pierre, Camille, Gilles, Laurier, Raoul.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Beaulieu experienced a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Beaulieu ranked 3184th in terms of surname prevalence in the United States, but by 2010 it had fallen to 3349th place, representing a decrease of 5.18%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Beaulieu surname increased from 10,336 in 2000 to 10,695 in 2010, showing a growth rate of 3.47%. The proportion of people with the Beaulieu surname per 100,000 also declined slightly, from 3.83 in 2000 to 3.63 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#3,184#3,349-5.18%
Count10,33610,6953.47%
Proportion per 100k3.833.63-5.22%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Beaulieu

When analyzing the ethnic identities associated with the surname Beaulieu over the same period using the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were some interesting changes. Those identifying as White represented the largest group with this surname, although there was a minor decrease from 90.39% in 2000 to 88.75% in 2010. The second largest group was those of American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicity, which decreased from 4.24% to 3.94%. However, other ethnicities saw increases during this decade. The percentage of Black individuals with the Beaulieu surname increased from 2.26% to 2.69%, while the Hispanic population grew significantly from 1.04% to 1.95%. Additionally, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying with two or more races saw increases, rising to 0.70% and 1.96% respectively.

20002010Change
White90.39%88.75%-1.81%
American Indian and Alaskan Native4.24%3.94%-7.08%
Black2.26%2.69%19.03%
Two or More Races1.4%1.96%40%
Hispanic1.04%1.95%87.5%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.67%0.7%4.48%

Beaulieu 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 Beaulieu is British & Irish, which comprises 38.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (34.5%) and Spanish & Portuguese (7.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish38.9%
French & German34.5%
Spanish & Portuguese7.7%
Other18.9%
Beaulieu

Possible origins of the surname Beaulieu

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

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom74.60%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom74.30%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom73.90%
Merseyside, United Kingdom73.60%
West Midlands, United Kingdom73.20%

What Beaulieu 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 Beaulieu is R-DF98, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-DF98 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-Z631 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kidder, Barnhill, Pannell, Parent, Pittman, Armour, Tilton, Lowell, Dayton, Roebuck.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Beaulieu surname are: H1, H, V. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

beaulieuPaternal 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 Beaulieu 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

Beaulieu

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Beaulieu" Surname 45.0%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Beaulieu

Misophonia

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

"Beaulieu" Surname 31.3%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Beaulieu

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Beaulieu" Surname 24.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Beaulieu

Migraine

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

"Beaulieu" Surname 20.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Beaulieu?

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 Beaulieu 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%