Explore the Family Name Pfeffer
The meaning of Pfeffer
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German pfeffer, German Pfeffer ‘pepper’, a metonymic occupational name for a spicer; alternatively, it may be a nickname for a man with a fiery or snappish temperament.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pfeffer in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Pfeffer has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 6,973rd most popular surname, with 4,431 individuals bearing this name. However, by 2010, it had dropped to the 7,554th most popular surname, with a slight decrease in count to 4,400 individuals. This represents an overall decline of 8.33% in rank and 0.7% in count. Its proportion per 100,000 people also decreased from 1.64 in 2000 to 1.49 in 2010, marking a 9.15% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,973 | #7,554 | -8.33% |
| Count | 4,431 | 4,400 | -0.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.64 | 1.49 | -9.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pfeffer
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pfeffer has also seen some shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the vast majority (96.12%) of those with the surname Pfeffer identified as White, but by 2010, this percentage had decreased slightly to 94.36%. Over the same period, there were increases in the number of people with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.61% to 0.98%), Hispanic (from 1.94% to 2.89%), and those reporting two or more races (from 0.84% to 1.43%). Conversely, the proportion of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with the surname Pfeffer decreased between 2000 and 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.12% | 94.36% | -1.83% |
| Hispanic | 1.94% | 2.89% | 48.97% |
| Two or More Races | 0.84% | 1.43% | 70.24% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.61% | 0.98% | 60.66% |
| Black | 0.29% | 0.2% | -31.03% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.2% | 0.14% | -30% |
Pfeffer 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 Pfeffer is French & German, which comprises 33.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.4%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (17.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Filipino & Austronesian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 33.5% |
| British & Irish | 27.4% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 17.7% |
| Other | 21.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Pfeffer
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 Pfeffer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 61.00% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 61.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 61.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 61.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 60.20% |
What Pfeffer 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 Pfeffer 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 J-M172 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ernst, Batista, Kling, Grande, Reinhart, Gruber, Layne, Bernhardt, Kopp, Bear.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pfeffer surname are: H1, N, 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 Pfeffer 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.
"Pfeffer" Surname 37.2%
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.
"Pfeffer" Surname 30.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pfeffer" Surname 17.3%
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.
"Pfeffer" Surname 15.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pfeffer?
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 Pfeffer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition