Explore the Family Name Mallett
The meaning of Mallett
1. English: from the Middle English female personal name Malot, more rarely Malet, a pet form of Mall, Mald (i.e. Maud, Matilda) + the diminutive suffix -ot or -et. In post-medieval forms of the surname final -ot was generally altered to -et(t). Though there are alternative Norman origins (see below), this is the usual source of the English surname. 2. English: of Norman origin, a nickname from Old French maillet ‘hammer’ (see Maillet, compare Mallet 4), used as a battle weapon. Robert Malet, lord of the Honour of Eye (Suffolk) in 1086, was the son of William Malet of Graville-Sainte-Honorine (Seine-Maritime). The latter is referred to as Gulielmo agnomine Mal(l)eto ‘William, surnamed Mal(l)et’ in the late 11th-century Gesta Guillelmi of William of Poitiers and the early 12th-century Historia Ecclesia of Orderic Vitalis. According to tradition, this surname arose because of William’s reputation for bludgeoning his enemies in battle (cum) malleo ‘with the hammer’. The story may be true or it may have been invented to explain the name, in which case see 3 below for an alternative etymology. 3. English: of Norman origin, from the Old French personal name Malet, a pet form of Malo. Compare Mallet 2. 4. English: of Norman origin, a nickname from old French maleit ‘accursed’ (see Mallet 1). 5. English: possibly a post-medieval variant of Mallard or Maillard. 6. Altered form of French Mallet. Compare Mallette. History: This surname (see 6 above) is listed (indivudually and along with the variant Mallette or the original form Mallet) in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mallett in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mallett has experienced slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. Specifically, the rank of the surname dropped from 4901 to 5315, marking an 8.45% decrease. The count of individuals bearing this surname also decreased marginally by 0.43%, tallying at 6556 in 2010, compared to 6584 in 2000. This resulted in a dip in the proportion per 100k people, showing a 9.02% decrease, moving from 2.44 in 2000 to 2.22 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,901 | #5,315 | -8.45% |
| Count | 6,584 | 6,556 | -0.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.44 | 2.22 | -9.02% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mallett
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the name Mallett, we see varied changes based on findings from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2010, the majority of those with the surname identified as White, making up 69.16% of all Malletts, down from 71.04% in 2000. Black was the second most prevalent ethnicity, increasing slightly from 24.68% in 2000 to 25.58% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 21.83%, while individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent decreased by 8.00%. The category of two or more races experienced the largest growth, jumping up 38.28% to 1.77% of all Malletts in 2010. American Indian and Alaskan Native representation also increased by 14.29%, but remained the smallest group at 0.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.04% | 69.16% | -2.65% |
| Black | 24.68% | 25.58% | 3.65% |
| Hispanic | 2.29% | 2.79% | 21.83% |
| Two or More Races | 1.28% | 1.77% | 38.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.46% | -8% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.24% | 14.29% |
Mallett 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 Mallett is British & Irish, which comprises 53.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.4%) and Eastern European (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Nigerian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.9% |
| French & German | 23.4% |
| Eastern European | 4.3% |
| Other | 18.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Mallett
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 Mallett have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.80% |
What Mallett 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 Mallett 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 I-L22 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Dreyer, St John, Ash, St John, Webb, Hewitt, Tindall, O'Neal, Murdock, Laws..
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mallett 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 Mallett 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.
"Mallett" Surname 50.0%
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.
"Mallett" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mallett" Surname 16.7%
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.
"Mallett" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mallett?
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 Mallett are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition