Explore the Family Name Jean
The meaning of Jean
1. French, Walloon, West Indian (mainly Haiti), Mauritian, and English (of French Huguenot origin): from the male personal name Jean, French form of John. This is one of the most frequent surnames in Haiti (along with Joseph and Pierre). It is also established elsewhere in the West Indies (e.g. in the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, and Bahamas). 2. English: habitational name for someone from Genoa in Italy; compare Janeway. 3. Breton (mainly Le Jean): variant of Jan ‘John’. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 甄, see Zhen. History: Pierre Jean from La Rochelle in Charente-Maritime, France, married Françoise Favreau in France c.1671, died in Saint-Jean, Île-Michon, QC, in 1726. Vincent Jean from Aujac in Charente-Maritime, France, married Gabrielle Beaune in Lachine, QC, in 1687. — The surname Jean of French origin (see 1 above) is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors. Some characteristic forenames: French Pierre, Francois, Marcel, Yves, Andre, Jacques, Georges, Michel, Philippe, Serge, Yvon, Cecile.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jean in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Jean has seen a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Jean ranked 2172nd in terms of prevalence, with 15,321 individuals carrying this last name. By 2010, it had climbed to 1703rd place, reflecting an increase of 21.59%. The total count of people with the surname Jean also rose by 37.98% during this period, increasing from 15,321 to 21,140. This shows that for every 100,000 people, there were approximately 7.17 individuals named Jean, marking an increase of 26.23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,172 | #1,703 | 21.59% |
| Count | 15,321 | 21,140 | 37.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.68 | 7.17 | 26.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jean
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Jean, Decennial U.S. Census data indicates notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. During this decade, the percentage of Black individuals with this surname increased by 26.70%, reaching 70.28% in 2010. The representation of Whites dropped by 27.75%, with this group making up 22.89% of people with this surname in 2010. The proportion of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also decreased, with changes of -19.23%, -73.19%, and -32.69% respectively. However, the Hispanic representation saw a slight increase of 6.72%, accounting for 2.54% of all Jeans in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 55.47% | 70.28% | 26.7% |
| White | 31.68% | 22.89% | -27.75% |
| Hispanic | 2.38% | 2.54% | 6.72% |
| Two or More Races | 7.61% | 2.04% | -73.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.34% | 1.89% | -19.23% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.52% | 0.35% | -32.69% |
Jean 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 Jean is British & Irish, which comprises 31.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.9%) and Nigerian (8.0%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Angolan & Congolese, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, and Eastern European.
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 | 31.9% |
| French & German | 24.9% |
| Nigerian | 8.0% |
| Other | 35.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Jean
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 Jean have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 54.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 54.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 53.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 52.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 52.80% |
What Jean 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 Jean is R-L20, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L20 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z159 and E-P252, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Love, Whiting, Britton, Wiggins, Waldron, Goodwin, Hawthorne, Frost, Keene, Woods.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Jean surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Jean 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.
"Jean" Surname 28.1%
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.
"Jean" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Jean" Surname 20.8%
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.
"Jean" Surname 13.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Jean?
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 Jean are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition