Explore the Family Name Pelletier
The meaning of Pelletier
French: occupational name from pelletier ‘furrier’, also ‘fur trapper’. Compare Peltier and also Pelcher, Pelkey, Pelky, and Pilkey. History: Guillaume Pelletier/Peltier dit Gobloteur from Bresolettes in Orne, France, married Michelle Mabille in France in 1619, died in Quebec City, QC, in 1657. Nicolas Pelletier/Peltier from Gallardon in Eure-et-Loir, France, married Jeanne (de) Voisy in France c.1632, died in Sillery, QC, c.1675. Pierre Pelletier/Peltier from Saint-Martin-de-Fraigneau in Vendée, France, married Françoise Trochet in QC in 1671. See also Antaya. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Lucien, Emile, Andre, Normand, Jacques, Marcel, Rosaire, Cecile, Laurent, Laurier, Adelard.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pelletier in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Pelletier has seen a slight drop between 2000 and 2010, moving from 1911th position to 2026th among all surnames in the United States. Despite this drop in rank, the total count of people with this surname increased by 3.13% during the same time period, with a total of 17,808 individuals identified as Pelletiers in the 2010 census. However, the proportion per 100k population decreased slightly by 5.63%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,911 | #2,026 | -6.02% |
| Count | 17,267 | 17,808 | 3.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.4 | 6.04 | -5.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pelletier
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that the majority of those bearing the surname Pelletier identify as White, although there was a minimal decrease of 1.53% in this group between 2000 and 2010. The percentage identifying as Hispanic saw the most significant increase, jumping by 80.31%. Other notable changes include an increase in the Asian/Pacific Islander category by 61.76%, and a rise in those identifying as having two or more races by 14.41%. The categories for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native experienced growth as well, though it was less pronounced at 6.67% and 17.07% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.58% | 95.1% | -1.53% |
| Hispanic | 1.27% | 2.29% | 80.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 1.27% | 14.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.55% | 61.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.41% | 0.48% | 17.07% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.32% | 6.67% |
Pelletier 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 Pelletier is British & Irish, which comprises 41.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (34.2%) and Spanish & Portuguese (7.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 41.1% |
| French & German | 34.2% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 7.5% |
| Other | 17.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Pelletier
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 Pelletier have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 71.50% |
What Pelletier 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 Pelletier is R-CTS4188, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4188 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L51 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Minter, Beebe, Jernigan, Burford, Pitre, Pelkey, Peltier, Swope, Durand, Maciel.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pelletier surname are: V, H, H1. 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 Pelletier 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.
"Pelletier" Surname 50.7%
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.
"Pelletier" Surname 37.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pelletier" Surname 22.5%
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.
"Pelletier" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pelletier?
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 Pelletier are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition