Explore the Family Name Bryant
The meaning of Bryant
1. English (of Norman origin): from the Celtic personal name Brian (from brigo- ‘high’ + the suffix -ant-), with excrescent -t. Breton bearers of this name were among the Normans who invaded England in 1066. They went on to settle in Ireland in the 12th century, where the name mingled with the native Irish form Briain (see O’Brien). The latter had also been borrowed, as Brján, by the Vikings, who introduced it independently into northwestern England before the Norman Conquest. This surname is also common among African Americans. 2. Breton: very rare variant of Briant (see Briand) and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. History: The American poet William Cullen Bryant (1794–1878) came of a New England family, being descended from Stephen Bryant, who had settled in Plymouth Colony in 1632.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bryant in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bryant has seen changes in its popularity over the years. In 2000, Bryant was ranked as the 120th most common surname in the United States. However, by 2010, it had slipped to the 128th position, marking a decrease of 6.67% in its rank. Despite this slight drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the Bryant surname increased from 183,761 in 2000 to 192,773 in 2010. This represents a growth rate of 4.9%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 68.12 to 65.35 within this ten-year period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #120 | #128 | -6.67% |
| Count | 183,761 | 192,773 | 4.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 68.12 | 65.35 | -4.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bryant
Shifting focus to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals an interesting diversity among those with the Bryant surname. While the majority identified as White (60.97% in 2000 and 58.46% in 2010), a significant portion identified as Black (34.68% in 2000 and 35.58% in 2010). Over the decade, there was a notable increase in the percentage of Bryants identifying as Hispanic (from 1.37% to 2.21%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.30% to 0.39%). Those identifying as part of two or more races also rose from 1.79% to 2.47%. The percentage of Bryants identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stable at 0.89% from 2000 to 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 60.97% | 58.46% | -4.12% |
| Black | 34.68% | 35.58% | 2.6% |
| Two or More Races | 1.79% | 2.47% | 37.99% |
| Hispanic | 1.37% | 2.21% | 61.31% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.89% | 0.89% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.39% | 30% |
Bryant 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 Bryant is British & Irish, which comprises 54.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.1%) and Nigerian (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Eastern European, Italian, and Angolan & Congolese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.7% |
| French & German | 19.1% |
| Nigerian | 5.8% |
| Other | 20.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Bryant
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 Bryant have recent ancestry locations all within United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 79.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 79.50% |
What Bryant 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 Bryant is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-Z19, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mitchell, Brown, Collins, Taylor, Thompson, Walker, Smith, Thomas, Evans, Clark.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bryant 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 Bryant 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.
"Bryant" Surname 42.5%
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.
"Bryant" Surname 27.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bryant" Surname 24.6%
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.
"Bryant" Surname 19.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bryant?
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 Bryant are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition