Explore the Family Name Parent
The meaning of Parent
1. French and Walloon: from Old French parent ‘father’, a relationship name used to differentiate a father and son with the same personal name. Compare Parrent 2 and Parron 1. 2. English: nickname from Middle English parent ‘parent, ancestor, relative’ (Old French parent, Latin parens). 3. English: nickname from Middle English paraunt ‘eminent, notable’ (Old French parant), perhaps denoting someone of an imposing appearance. History: Pierre Parent/Parant from Mortagne-sur-Gironde in Charente-Maritime, France, married Jeanne Badeau in Quebec City, QC, in 1654. Michel Parent dit Parisien from Paris, France, married Marie-Anne Benoît in Trois-Rivières, QC, in 1692. — In North America, the surname in 1 above was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Benjamin Chouinard dit Parent (a descendant of Jacques Chouinard from France; see Chouinard), who married Angèle St-Laurent in Rimouski, QC, in 1822. Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Normand, Fernand, Pierre, Rosaire, Andre, Armand, Gilles, Laurent, Alain, Chanel, Donat.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Parent in the United States?
The surname "Parent" has seen a slight shift in its popularity in the United States, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname was ranked 3057th most common, but by 2010, it had dropped to 3225th, representing a decrease of 5.5%. However, the actual count of individuals bearing this name increased by 2.93% over the same period, from 10,874 to 11,193. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also saw a decline from 4.03 to 3.79, marking a decrease of 5.96%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,057 | #3,225 | -5.5% |
| Count | 10,874 | 11,193 | 2.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.03 | 3.79 | -5.96% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Parent
In terms of ethnic identity, the census data reveals some notable changes. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, two or more races, Hispanic, and Black saw significant increases between 2000 and 2010. For instance, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 32.14%, while the percentage of those reporting two or more races rose by 43.90%. Similarly, the number of Hispanics and Blacks with the Parent surname increased by 51.91% and 31.03% respectively. On the contrary, the percentage of Whites decreased slightly by 1.92%, whereas the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a small reduction of 5.32%. This information is based on the Decennial U.S. Census, which provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of ethnic identities associated with this surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.51% | 92.7% | -1.92% |
| Hispanic | 1.31% | 1.99% | 51.91% |
| Black | 1.45% | 1.9% | 31.03% |
| Two or More Races | 1.23% | 1.77% | 43.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.94% | 0.89% | -5.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.74% | 32.14% |
Parent 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 Parent is British & Irish, which comprises 39.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (32.4%) and Spanish & Portuguese (5.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 39.6% |
| French & German | 32.4% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 5.7% |
| Other | 22.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Parent
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 Parent have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 71.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 71.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 71.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 70.90% |
What Parent 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 Parent is R-DF98, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-DF98 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L2 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Daggett, Pittman, Armour, Beaulieu, Lowell, Barnhill, Decker, Dayton, Pannell, Kidder.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Parent 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 Parent 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.
"Parent" Surname 42.4%
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.
"Parent" Surname 38.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Parent" Surname 27.0%
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.
"Parent" Surname 23.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Parent?
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 Parent are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition