Explore the Family Name Pereira
The meaning of Pereira
1. Portuguese and Galician: topographic name from Portuguese pereira ‘pear tree’, or a habitational name from a place called with this word in Portugal and Galicia (Spain). This surname is also found in western India, having been taken there by Portuguese colonists. 2. Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Iberian surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism. After the return to Judaism (generations later), some descendants retained the name their families used as Catholics. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Carlos, Luis, Mario, Fernando, Jorge, Francisco, Pedro, Juan, Julio, Armando. Portuguese Joao, Paulo, Joaquim, Henrique, Ilidio, Agostinho, Duarte, Amadeu, Adao, Ademir, Ligia, Aderito.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pereira in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pereira has grown in popularity in the United States over the past decade. In 2000, it ranked as the 1428th most common surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 1175th spot, marking a notable increase of 17.72%. The actual count of individuals with the Pereira surname also saw an uptick from 22,921 in 2000 to 29,898 in 2010, indicating a significant growth of 30.44%. The proportion of people bearing this surname per 100,000 increased by 19.29%, moving from 8.5 in 2000 to 10.14 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,428 | #1,175 | 17.72% |
| Count | 22,921 | 29,898 | 30.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 8.5 | 10.14 | 19.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pereira
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the Pereira surname was predominantly associated with individuals of White ethnicity in both 2000 and 2010, though there was a slight decrease of 3.05% over this period. Interestingly, the data showed substantial growth among those identifying as Black, with an increase of 107.61%. The Hispanic demographic also saw an increase of 15.97% during this timeframe. Meanwhile, the number of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native also grew, while those claiming two or more races decreased significantly by 74.93%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59.74% | 57.92% | -3.05% |
| Hispanic | 26.67% | 30.93% | 15.97% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.17% | 4.97% | 19.18% |
| Black | 1.97% | 4.09% | 107.61% |
| Two or More Races | 7.26% | 1.82% | -74.93% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.26% | 44.44% |
Pereira 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 Pereira is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (10.3%) and Indigenous American (5.4%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, Eastern European, and Southern Indian Subgroup.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 56.9% |
| British & Irish | 10.3% |
| Indigenous American | 5.4% |
| Other | 27.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Pereira
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 Pereira have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 56.00% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 55.90% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 53.10% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 52.70% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 51.50% |
What Pereira 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 Pereira is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L51 and R-Z225, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Souza, Ferreira, Rodrigues, Fernandez, Oliveira, Gomes, Silva, Fernandes, Suarez, Costa.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pereira surname are: A2, H1, H. 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 Pereira 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.
"Pereira" Surname 39.3%
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.
"Pereira" Surname 36.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pereira" Surname 12.7%
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.
"Pereira" Surname 15.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pereira?
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 Pereira are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition