Explore the Family Name Breton
The meaning of Breton
French, Breton (mainly Finistère), and English (of Norman origin): ethnic name for a Breton, from Old French breton, oblique case of bret (see Bret). Compare Lebreton, see also English Brett. History: In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Jean Élie/Hélie dit (Le) Breton from Ménéac in Morbihan, Brittany (France), who married Jeanne Labbé in Sainte-Famille, Île d’Orléans, QC, in 1669. His descendants also bear the surname Elie. Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Andre, Normand, Renald, Adelard, Alphonse, Armand, Gaetan, Laurent, Serge, Adrien, Aime.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Breton in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Breton has seen an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, this surname ranked 8249 in popularity but climbed to 7682 by 2010, a change of nearly 7%. The count of individuals with this surname also rose during this period from 3,695 to 4,322, equating to a surge of almost 17%. For every 100,000 people, there was an increase in the proportion of those bearing the surname Breton, moving up by 7.3% from 1.37 in 2000 to 1.47 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,249 | #7,682 | 6.87% |
| Count | 3,695 | 4,322 | 16.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.37 | 1.47 | 7.3% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Breton
The ethnic identity linked to the surname Breton also experienced changes between 2000 and 2010 as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The most significant shift was among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, which doubled from 0.43% to 0.86%. There was a modest increase of around 7% among those claiming two or more races, from 1.19% to 1.27%. The proportion of individuals with the surname Breton who identified as White dropped by nearly 10%, from 76.70% to 69.20%. Those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of over one-third, from 18.27% to 24.50%. Individuals identifying as Black also increased from 3.17% to 4.00%, a rise of just over 26%. However, the proportion identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native fell by a third from 0.24% to 0.16%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.7% | 69.2% | -9.78% |
| Hispanic | 18.27% | 24.5% | 34.1% |
| Black | 3.17% | 4% | 26.18% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 1.27% | 6.72% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.86% | 100% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.24% | 0.16% | -33.33% |
Breton 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 Breton is French & German, which comprises 32.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.7%) and Spanish & Portuguese (17.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Indigenous American, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 32.2% |
| British & Irish | 27.7% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 17.1% |
| Other | 23.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Breton
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 Breton have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 48.50% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 48.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 48.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 47.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 47.50% |
What Breton 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 Breton is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include IJ-M429 and R-DF27, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Peery, Ogle, Cavazos, Longoria, Hebert, Dodds, Aldrich, Atherton, Banuelos, Meador.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Breton surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Breton 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.
"Breton" Surname 34.4%
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.
"Breton" Surname 43.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Breton" Surname 39.0%
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.
"Breton" Surname 15.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Breton?
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 Breton are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition