Explore the Family Name Bourque
The meaning of Bourque
French (mainly Doubs): variant of Bourg and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. History: Most, if not all, of the American bearers of the surname Bourque are descendants of Antoine Bourg/Bourque from France (see Bourg). Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Lucien, Pierre, Andre, Aurele, Camille, Emile, Fernand, Henri, Jacques, Marcel, Normand.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bourque in the United States?
The surname Bourque saw a decline in its popularity rank from 2000 to 2010, as per the data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Bourque ranked at 3768, but by 2010, it had slipped to 3961, marking a decrease of 5.12%. However, the count of individuals with the Bourque surname actually increased during this period, rising from 8635 to 8973, which represents a growth of 3.91%. The proportion of people named Bourque per 100,000 also decreased slightly, going from 3.2 to 3.04.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,768 | #3,961 | -5.12% |
| Count | 8,635 | 8,973 | 3.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.2 | 3.04 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bourque
In terms of ethnicity, the Bourque surname is predominantly associated with individuals identifying as White, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, 96.77% of individuals with this surname identified as White, decreasing slightly to 95.74% in 2010. There were notable increases in the proportion of individuals with the Bourque name who identified as Hispanic and Black over the ten-year span. The Hispanic group went from 1.12% to 1.93%, while the Black group rose from 0.34% to 0.59%. The proportions of Asian/Pacific Islander and those of two or more races remained relatively stable, with very small changes. Meanwhile, the proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Natives with this surname declined from 0.32% to 0.28%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.77% | 95.74% | -1.06% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 1.93% | 72.32% |
| Two or More Races | 1.02% | 1.01% | -0.98% |
| Black | 0.34% | 0.59% | 73.53% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.45% | 4.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.28% | -12.5% |
Bourque 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 Bourque is British & Irish, which comprises 39.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (37.4%) and Spanish & Portuguese (9.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 39.2% |
| French & German | 37.4% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 9.1% |
| Other | 14.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Bourque
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 Bourque have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 77.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 76.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 76.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 76.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 75.70% |
What Bourque 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 Bourque is R-Z209, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z209 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z19 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Shumway, Whitworth, Demers, Dionne, Melancon, Loomis, Harlan, Bernier, Paradis, Nadeau.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bourque surname are: H1, K1a, 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 Bourque 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.
"Bourque" Surname 43.5%
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.
"Bourque" Surname 31.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bourque" Surname 23.3%
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.
"Bourque" Surname 25.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bourque?
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 Bourque are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition