Explore the Family Name Lavallee
The meaning of Lavallee
1. French (Lavallée): topographic name for someone who lived in a valley, a variant of Vallée (see Vallee), with fused feminine definite article la; or a habitational name from La Vallée, the name of several places in various parts of France, named with this word. Compare Lavalais, Lavalla, Lavalle, Lavalley, Lavallie, Lavelle, Lavely, Levalley, and Lovely. 2. Altered form of French Vallée (see Vallee), a cognate of 1 above. History: In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by several 17th- and 18th-century French Canadians, including René Bouchard dit Lavallée (see Bouchard) and Isaac Paquet/Pasquier dit Lavallée (see Pasquier and Paquet). Some characteristic forenames: French Normand, Armand, Andre, Marcel, Pierre, Adrien, Lucien, Julien, Laurent, Michel, Raoul, Achille.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lavallee in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Lavallee has slightly dipped between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Lavallee was ranked 6,615th most popular in the United States, but by 2010 it had dropped to 6,793rd, marking a -2.69% change. However, despite the decrease in rank, the actual number of people with the Lavallee surname increased from 4,726 in 2000 to 4,965 in 2010, which is a rise of 5.06%. The proportion per 100,000 people also dropped by -4.0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,615 | #6,793 | -2.69% |
| Count | 4,726 | 4,965 | 5.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.75 | 1.68 | -4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lavallee
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals an interesting shift over the decade. In 2000, 97.36% of those with the Lavallee surname identified as white, but this dropped to 94.92% in 2010. Simultaneously, there were notable increases in other ethnic identities. For example, those identifying as Hispanic rose from 0.72% to 2.07%, and those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose from 0.23% to 0.50%. Similarly, the percentage of individuals with the Lavallee surname identifying as Black rose from 0.15% to 0.32%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also rose from 0.23% to 0.50%. Lastly, the percentage of people identifying with two or more races increased from 1.31% to 1.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.36% | 94.92% | -2.51% |
| Hispanic | 0.72% | 2.07% | 187.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.31% | 1.67% | 27.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.23% | 0.5% | 117.39% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.5% | 117.39% |
| Black | 0.15% | 0.32% | 113.33% |
Lavallee 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 Lavallee is British & Irish, which comprises 44.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (32.5%) and Spanish & Portuguese (6.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.3% |
| French & German | 32.5% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 6.4% |
| Other | 16.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Lavallee
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 Lavallee have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
What Lavallee 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 Lavallee is R-L44, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L44 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS4188 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rutledge, Helms, Foreman, Glass, Burrell, Branson, Durand, Burkett, Harmon, Underwood.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lavallee surname are: N, H, H1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Lavallee 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.
"Lavallee" Surname 34.1%
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.
"Lavallee" Surname 27.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lavallee" Surname 23.1%
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.
"Lavallee" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lavallee?
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 Lavallee are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition