Explore the Family Name Blais
The meaning of Blais
French: variant of Blaise. Compare Blair and Blay. History: Pierre Blais from Hanc in Deux-Sèvres, France, married first Anne Perrault in Sainte-Famille, Île d’Orléans, QC, in 1669, and second Élisabeth Royer in Saint-Jean, Île d’Orléans, QC, in 1689. — In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Joseph Tousignant dit Blais, a descendant of Pierre Tousignant (see Tousignant). He married Marie Charpentier in Baie-du-Febvre, QC, in 1835. Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Normand, Andre, Emile, Fernand, Lucien, Aime, Gilles, Julien, Michel, Yvon, Alphonse.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Blais in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Blais saw minor fluctuations between 2000 and 2010. In terms of rank, the name slipped from 5798th in 2000 to 6017th in 2010, showing a decrease in its relative popularity by about 3.78%. However, the actual number of people bearing the surname Blais increased by 4.67% during this period, rising from 5463 to 5718. The proportion of the surname Blais per 100,000 people decreased slightly by 4.43%, indicating that although the count increased, it did not keep pace with the overall population growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,798 | #6,017 | -3.78% |
| Count | 5,463 | 5,718 | 4.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.03 | 1.94 | -4.43% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Blais
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Blais surname from 2000 to 2010. The largest percentage increase was seen within the Asian/Pacific Islander group, which rose by 119.35%, albeit from a small base. The proportion identifying as two or more races also grew by 29.90%. The most common ethnic identity, white, experienced a slight decrease of 1.23%, dropping from 96.71% to 95.52%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 48.76%. The proportion of those identifying as Black decreased by 12.90%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a small rise of 5.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.71% | 95.52% | -1.23% |
| Hispanic | 1.21% | 1.8% | 48.76% |
| Two or More Races | 0.97% | 1.26% | 29.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.31% | 0.68% | 119.35% |
| Black | 0.62% | 0.54% | -12.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.19% | 5.56% |
Blais 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 Blais is British & Irish, which comprises 45.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (33.6%) and Spanish & Portuguese (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 45.0% |
| French & German | 33.6% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 5.1% |
| Other | 16.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Blais
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 Blais have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.40% |
What Blais 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 Blais is J-M205, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-M205 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Marrero, Mondragon, Glasser, Matz, Gardner, Hammer, Glaser, Romero, Cisneros, Allen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Blais surname are: H1, K1a, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Blais 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.
"Blais" Surname 37.0%
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.
"Blais" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Blais" Surname 16.4%
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.
"Blais" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Blais?
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 Blais are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition