Explore the Family Name Chevalier
The meaning of Chevalier
French: from Old French chevalier ‘knight’ (literally ‘horseman, rider’, from Late Latin caballarius, a derivative of caballus ‘horse’). In the Middle Ages only men of comparative wealth were able to afford the upkeep of a riding horse. It is likely that in the majority of cases the surname was originally a nickname, or an occupational name for a knight’s servant, rather than a status name, for most men of the knightly class belonged to noble families which had more specific surnames derived from their estates. This was a name of Norman origin in England but probably did not survive the medieval period, and was later reintroduced by Huguenot refugees. History: Joseph Chevalier from Dieppe in Seine-Maritime, France, married Françoise-Marthe Barton in Montreal, QC, in 1670. Pierre Chevalier dit Labbé and Duchesne from Pont-l’Abbé-d’Arnoult in Charente-Maritime, France, married Marie-Madeleine Ménard in Montreal, QC, in 1697. — In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Alexis Dulignon dit Chevalier (a descendant of Jean Dulignon from La Rochefoucaud in Charente, France), who married Judith (de) Billy in Louiseville, QC, in 1778. — This surname is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Pierre, Patrice, Serge, Gabrielle, Jacques, Marcel, Michel, Raoul, Sylvain, Adelore, Antoine.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chevalier in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Chevalier showed a minor increase in rank and count from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Chevalier was ranked 5426 and by 2010 it had risen slightly to 5412, representing an increase of 0.26. The total count of individuals with the Chevalier surname increased from 5905 in 2000 to 6431 in 2010, marking an 8.91 percent rise. However, the proportion per 100k people saw a slight decrease of -0.46 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,426 | #5,412 | 0.26% |
| Count | 5,905 | 6,431 | 8.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.19 | 2.18 | -0.46% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chevalier
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the Chevalier surname. Between 2000 and 2010, there were fluctuations across different ethnic groups. Individuals identifying as Hispanic showed the largest increase, rising from 7.59 percent to 9.08 percent, a growth of 19.63 percent. There was also a significant increase among those identifying as Black, with the percentage growing from 12.72 to 14.46, a change of 13.68 percent. However, those identifying as White decreased from 75.44 percent to 72.31 percent, marking a drop of 4.15 percent. The number of individuals identifying as Two or more races also decreased slightly. Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities remained relatively stable with small changes.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.44% | 72.31% | -4.15% |
| Black | 12.72% | 14.46% | 13.68% |
| Hispanic | 7.59% | 9.08% | 19.63% |
| Two or More Races | 2.54% | 2.39% | -5.91% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.13% | 1.17% | 3.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.58% | 0.59% | 1.72% |
Chevalier 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 Chevalier is British & Irish, which comprises 36.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.0%) and Spanish & Portuguese (9.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Indigenous American, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 36.7% |
| French & German | 29.0% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 9.2% |
| Other | 25.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Chevalier
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 Chevalier have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 58.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 58.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 58.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 57.80% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 57.30% |
What Chevalier 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 Chevalier 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-L2 and R-Z198, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Robert, Ash, Keener, Noble, Grimm, Nagle, Wales, Lima, Piercy, Murdock.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Chevalier surname are: H1, H3, 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 Chevalier 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.
"Chevalier" Surname 39.4%
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.
"Chevalier" Surname 32.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Chevalier" Surname 22.6%
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.
"Chevalier" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Chevalier?
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 Chevalier are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition