Explore the Family Name Pedersen
The meaning of Pedersen
1. Norwegian and Danish: patronymic from the personal name Peder (see Peter). This surname is also found in northern Germany. Compare Petersen 2 and Peterson 1. 2. English: variant of Peterson. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Erik, Lars, Niels, Bjorn, Knud, Nils, Anders, Jorgen, Egil, Einer, Knut, Peer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pedersen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, Pedersen's popularity as a surname has seen minor fluctuations between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 1,683rd most common surname, but by 2010, it had slipped slightly to 1,780th place, reflecting a 5.76% decrease in rank. However, the actual count of people with the Pedersen surname increased from 19,510 in 2000 to 20,135 in 2010, marking a 3.2% growth. Overall, the proportion per 100,000 people saw a slight dip of 5.53%, moving from 7.23 in 2000 to 6.83 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,683 | #1,780 | -5.76% |
| Count | 19,510 | 20,135 | 3.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.23 | 6.83 | -5.53% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pedersen
The ethnic identity affiliated with the Pedersen surname showed interesting changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest group, identifying as White, decreased by 1.36% over the decade, dropping from 95.65% in 2000 to 94.35% in 2010. The Hispanic population represented by the surname saw the most significant increase, up by 53.33% from 1.50% to 2.30%. There were also notable increases within the Asian/Pacific Islander and Black communities, which saw growth rates of 36.21% and 36.00% respectively. Those identifying as two or more races also grew by 27.01%. Conversely, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native Pedersens dropped by 27.69% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.65% | 94.35% | -1.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.3% | 53.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.37% | 1.74% | 27.01% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.58% | 0.79% | 36.21% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.65% | 0.47% | -27.69% |
| Black | 0.25% | 0.34% | 36% |
Pedersen 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 Pedersen is British & Irish, which comprises 31.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Scandinavian (29.8%) and French & German (22.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 31.4% |
| Scandinavian | 29.8% |
| French & German | 22.4% |
| Other | 16.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Pedersen
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 Pedersen have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 71.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 71.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 71.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 71.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 71.20% |
What Pedersen 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 Pedersen is R-M405, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M405 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Olsen, Christiansen, Hansen, Petersen, Larsen, Andersen, Jensen, Olson, Lund, Peterson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pedersen 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 Pedersen 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.
"Pedersen" Surname 43.3%
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.
"Pedersen" Surname 24.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pedersen" Surname 16.0%
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.
"Pedersen" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pedersen?
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 Pedersen are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition