Explore the Family Name Bouchard
The meaning of Bouchard
1. French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Burchard, composed of the elements burg ‘protection’ and hard ‘hard, strong’. 2. French: in some cases, possibly also a nickname for someone with a big mouth (in either a literal or figurative sense), from bouche ‘mouth’ + the pejorative suffix -ard. Compare Buschor, Bushard, Bushaw, and Bushor. 3. English: sometimes a variant of Butcher. History: Claude Bouchard dit Dorval from Montigny-Lengrain in Aisne, France, married Marguerite Bénard in Quebec City, QC, in 1651. His descendants also bear the former secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name Dorval. Claude Bouchard dit Le Petit Claude from Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais in Sarthe, France, married Louise Gagné in Quebec City, QC, in 1654. Michel Bouchard from Andilly in Charente-Maritime, France, married Marie Trotin in Château-Richer, QC, in 1662. Nicolas Bouchard from Andilly in Charente-Maritime, France, married Anne Roy in Beaupré, QC, in 1670. René Bouchard dit Lavallée from Lavau-sur-Loire in Loire-Atlantique, Brittany (France), married Marie-Anne Sauvageau in Montreal, QC, in 1696; see also Lavallee. Nicolas-Philibert Bouchard dit Jolicoeur from Paris, France, married first Marie-Catherine Vallée in Beauport, QC, in 1748, and second Madeleine Gauthier in Rivière-Ouelle, QC, in 1767. René Bouchard from Longué-Jumelles in Maine-et-Loire, France, married Marie-Josèphe Cyr in Port-Lajoie (Charlottetown), PE, in 1753. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Marcel, Andre, Michel, Normand, Pierre, Cecile, Gilles, Lucien, Alphonse, Jacques, Alain.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bouchard in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bouchard has slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, the surname Bouchard ranked 2586th in terms of popularity; however, by 2010 its rank had dropped to 2739th, a decrease of approximately 5.92%. Despite this drop in ranking, the count for this surname increased from 12,870 in 2000 to 13,154 in 2010, which represents a marginal increase of 2.21%. The proportion per 100k people also saw a decline of 6.5% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,586 | #2,739 | -5.92% |
| Count | 12,870 | 13,154 | 2.21% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.77 | 4.46 | -6.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bouchard
The Decennial U.S. Census data provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Bouchard. In both 2000 and 2010, the majority of individuals with this surname were of White ethnicity, with percentages of 96.43% and 95.26%, respectively, showing a slight decrease of 1.21%. The Hispanic representation within this surname group saw the most significant increase, rising from 1.17% in 2000 to 1.94% in 2010, a change of 65.81%. The percentage of people of Asian/Pacific Islander background bearing this surname also increased by 39.39%, while those identifying as two or more races rose by 25.89%. However, the proportion of Black individuals with this surname witnessed a decrease of 10.00%. The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives bearing the Bouchard surname experienced a marginal increase of 3.64%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.43% | 95.26% | -1.21% |
| Hispanic | 1.17% | 1.94% | 65.81% |
| Two or More Races | 1.12% | 1.41% | 25.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.55% | 0.57% | 3.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.33% | 0.46% | 39.39% |
| Black | 0.4% | 0.36% | -10% |
Bouchard 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 Bouchard is British & Irish, which comprises 37.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (37.1%) and Spanish & Portuguese (7.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 37.8% |
| French & German | 37.1% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 7.2% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Bouchard
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 Bouchard have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 70.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 69.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 69.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 69.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 69.40% |
What Bouchard 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 Bouchard is R-DF95, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-DF95 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-L22 and I-L205.1, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Newsome, Brewer, Belcher, Gillette, Tuttle, Todd, Gillett, Wester, Lunsford, Stockton.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bouchard surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
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.
What do people with the surname Bouchard 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.
"Bouchard" Surname 43.7%
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.
"Bouchard" Surname 30.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bouchard" Surname 21.3%
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.
"Bouchard" Surname 20.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bouchard?
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 Bouchard are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition