Explore the Family Name Percy
The meaning of Percy
English (of Norman origin): 1. nickname from Old French percehaie ‘pierce hedge’ (Old French percer ‘to pierce, penetrate’ + haie ‘hedge, fence’), perhaps with the sense of someone breaking into an enclosure. Percehaie is the name of one of the sons of the foxes Renart and Hermeline in the medieval French epic Roman de Renart, whose earliest known version is from the 1170s. The surname is older than that, but it may originate in a nickname for the fox as ‘enclosure piercer’, perhaps amounting to ‘chicken thief’. 2. habitational name from any of several places called Percy in Calvados, Eure, and Manche; William de Perci, the Domesday tenant-in-chief and under-tenant of Hugh, Earl of Chester, came from either Percy-en-Auge (Eure) or Percy (Manche). History: Percy is the name of a leading Northumbrian family, who were instrumental in holding the English border against the Scots from their stronghold at Alnwick. Their founder was a Norman baron, William de Percy (c.1030–96), who accompanied William the Conqueror. Sir Henry Percy (1342–1408), 1st Earl of Northumberland, and his son Sir Henry Percy (1364–1403), known as Harry Hotspur, helped place Henry IV on the throne. The earldom, created in 1377, has continued, on two occasions through female members, in the same family to the present day. George Percy (1508–1632), a son of the 8th Earl of Northumberland, was in VA from 1606 to 1612, serving briefly as governor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Percy in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Percy' has seen slight fluctuations in its popularity over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 7631st most popular surname and by 2010, it fell slightly to the 7837th spot, marking a 2.7% decrease. However, the number of individuals with the surname 'Percy' actually increased from 4015 in 2000 to 4226 in 2010, a growth of 5.26%. Despite this increase in count, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 4.03%, shifting from 1.49 in 2000 to 1.43 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,631 | #7,837 | -2.7% |
| Count | 4,015 | 4,226 | 5.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.49 | 1.43 | -4.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Percy
In terms of ethnicity, the U.S. Census data shows several shifts in the distribution for the surname 'Percy'. The White demographic held the largest percentage of the Percy surname, but saw a decrease from 70.49% in 2000 to 67.49% in 2010. Notably, there were increases in all other ethnic identities. The Hispanic population increased by 28.13%, while the Black population rose by 3.32%. Individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent made up a smaller percentage of the Percy surname, though increased by 11.76%. Similarly, those of American Indian and Alaskan Native heritage represented a small percentage of the Percy surname but experienced the highest growth rate at 45.67%. Lastly, individuals who identified with two or more races also saw an increase of 21.05%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.49% | 67.49% | -4.26% |
| Black | 21.07% | 21.77% | 3.32% |
| Hispanic | 4.23% | 5.42% | 28.13% |
| Two or More Races | 2.09% | 2.53% | 21.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.27% | 1.85% | 45.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.85% | 0.95% | 11.76% |
Percy 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 Percy is British & Irish, which comprises 59.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.6%) and Scandinavian (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.2% |
| French & German | 17.6% |
| Scandinavian | 3.5% |
| Other | 19.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Percy
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 Percy have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.80% |
What Percy 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 Percy 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 R-P312 and R-L47, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Symons, Edmunds, Khalsa, Kremer, Stockdale, Hock, Earle, Bull, Boden, Murry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Percy surname are: H1, N, 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 Percy 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.
"Percy" Surname 56.0%
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.
"Percy" Surname 35.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Percy" Surname 20.0%
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.
"Percy" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Percy?
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 Percy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition