Explore the Family Name Pace
The meaning of Pace
1. English: from a vernacular short form of the Latin personal name Paschalis (see Paschal). 2. English: nickname for a mild-mannered and peaceable person, from Middle English pais, pace, pes(e), pece ‘peace, concord, amity’ (a borrowing of Old French pais, from Latin pax), or perhaps from the derived adjective pes ‘quiet, silent, peaceful’. 3. Italian: from the medieval personal name Pace, from the vocabulary word pace ‘peace’ (see 2 above), used for both males and females. In some instances it may represent a short form of the medieval personal name Bonapace, an omen or well-wishing name based on the same word.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pace in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Pace has seen a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 807th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slid to 868th position - a decrease of 7.56%. However, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased slightly from 38,975 in 2000 to 39,879 in 2010 - an increase of 2.32%. The proportion of people named Pace per 100,000 also dropped by 6.44% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #807 | #868 | -7.56% |
| Count | 38,975 | 39,879 | 2.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 14.45 | 13.52 | -6.44% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pace
The ethnicity of those bearing the Pace surname also shifted over this time, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. While the majority identified as White (78.26% in 2010, down from 80.08% in 2000), there were increases among all other ethnic identities. Notably, the proportion identifying as Hispanic grew by 47.8%, while Asian/Pacific Islanders increased by 42.55%. Those identifying as two or more races saw a rise of 12.5%, and Black representation also went up slightly by 3.65%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw an increase, going from 0.43% to 0.51%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.08% | 78.26% | -2.27% |
| Black | 15.91% | 16.49% | 3.65% |
| Hispanic | 1.59% | 2.35% | 47.8% |
| Two or More Races | 1.52% | 1.71% | 12.5% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.67% | 42.55% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.43% | 0.51% | 18.6% |
Pace 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 Pace is British & Irish, which comprises 50.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.0%) and Italian (10.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.5% |
| French & German | 18.0% |
| Italian | 10.2% |
| Other | 21.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Pace
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 Pace have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 77.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 77.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 77.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 77.60% |
What Pace 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 Pace is R-Z156, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z156 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-S2361 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Small, Graves, Baldwin, Hickman, Stark, Adams, Bower, Schumacher, Dick, Atkinson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pace surname are: H1, T2b, H. 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 Pace 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.
"Pace" Surname 47.3%
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.
"Pace" Surname 32.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pace" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Pace" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pace?
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 Pace are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition