Explore the Family Name Pearsall
The meaning of Pearsall
English (West Midlands): 1. habitational name from Pearshall in Staffordshire. The placename probably derives from Old English pise, peosu ‘pea’ + halh ‘nook, corner of land’. 2. occasionally a variant of Purcell.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pearsall in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Pearsall saw a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 6,681 among surnames in the United States, but by 2010, it fell slightly to rank 6,877, reflecting a decrease of around 2.93%. However, the total count of people with this surname actually increased from 4,661 in 2000 to 4,888 in 2010, marking an increase of approximately 4.87%. This implies that while the name might have dropped in ranking, its usage grew over the decade. The proportion per 100k people also decreased slightly by 4.05% from 1.73 to 1.66.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,681 | #6,877 | -2.93% |
| Count | 4,661 | 4,888 | 4.87% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.73 | 1.66 | -4.05% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pearsall
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the Pearsall surname, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the largest proportion of individuals with this surname identified as white (74.28% in 2000 and 71.79% in 2010), there was a noticeable increase in those identifying as Black (from 21.88% to 23.32%), Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.32% to 0.47%), and two or more races (from 1.48% to 1.82%). The largest percentage increase was seen among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which rose from 0.34% to 0.80%. The proportion of those identifying as Hispanic experienced a modest increase from 1.69% to 1.80%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.28% | 71.79% | -3.35% |
| Black | 21.88% | 23.32% | 6.58% |
| Two or More Races | 1.48% | 1.82% | 22.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.69% | 1.8% | 6.51% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.34% | 0.8% | 135.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.32% | 0.47% | 46.88% |
Pearsall 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 Pearsall is British & Irish, which comprises 43.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.5%) and Eastern European (8.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Nigerian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 43.1% |
| French & German | 24.5% |
| Eastern European | 8.0% |
| Other | 24.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Pearsall
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 Pearsall have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 77.40% |
What Pearsall 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 Pearsall is I-L233, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-L233 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include E-P252 and R-Z8, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mead, Huntley, Caron, Barney, Tallent, Flake, Gilpin, Gilman, Hilton, Criswell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pearsall surname are: H1, U2_3_4_7_8_9, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your 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 Pearsall 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.
"Pearsall" Surname 42.2%
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.
"Pearsall" Surname 29.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pearsall" Surname 26.9%
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.
"Pearsall" Surname 25.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pearsall?
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 Pearsall are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition