Explore the Family Name Bryson
The meaning of Bryson
1. Scottish: patronymic from the personal name Brice + -son (see Brice and Bryce). 2. Irish (Donegal): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Briosáin, a form of Ó Muirgheasáin (see Morrissey), altered by association with the Scottish surname Bryson, especially in Derry. Bryson was also used for Breslin in Donegal.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bryson in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Bryson' saw a shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Bryson was ranked as the 1867th most popular surname, while in 2010, it moved to the 1954th position, marking a decline of 4.66%. However, the count of people bearing the Bryson surname increased by 4.56% from 17,680 in 2000 to 18,486 in 2010. The proportion of people with the Bryson surname per 100,000 people decreased slightly from 6.55 to 6.27 (-4.27%) during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,867 | #1,954 | -4.66% |
| Count | 17,680 | 18,486 | 4.56% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.55 | 6.27 | -4.27% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bryson
In terms of ethnicity based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were noticeable changes among individuals with the Bryson surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Brysons identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 19.51%, while those that identified as having two or more ethnic identities experienced an increase of 48.30%. There was also a notable change in the Hispanic category with an increase of 53.94%. White Brysons saw a decrease of 3.05% while Black Brysons increased by 4.82%. The smallest group, American Indian and Alaskan Native, saw a decrease of 8.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.47% | 77.05% | -3.05% |
| Black | 16.4% | 17.19% | 4.82% |
| Hispanic | 1.65% | 2.54% | 53.94% |
| Two or More Races | 1.47% | 2.18% | 48.3% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 0.55% | -8.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.49% | 19.51% |
Bryson 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 Bryson is British & Irish, which comprises 58.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.6%) and Eastern European (3.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.7% |
| French & German | 18.6% |
| Eastern European | 3.7% |
| Other | 19.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Bryson
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 Bryson have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.90% |
What Bryson 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 Bryson 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 R-CTS3655 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ryan, Chamberlain, Winn, Armstrong, Plummer, Alford, Sexton, Flint, O'Neal.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bryson 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 Bryson 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.
"Bryson" Surname 44.8%
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.
"Bryson" Surname 25.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bryson" Surname 20.6%
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.
"Bryson" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bryson?
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 Bryson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition