Explore the Family Name Pierson
The meaning of Pierson
1. English: variant of Pearson. 2. North German: patronymic from the personal name Pier, a variant of Peer, vernacular shortened form of Peter. Compare Peerson. History: Born in Yorkshire, England, Abraham Pierson (1609–78) was the first pastor of the settlements at Southampton, Long Island, NY; Branford, CT, and Newark, NJ. He left his library of more than 400 books, one of the most extensive in the colonies, to his son Abraham, who was one of the first trustees of Yale College.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pierson in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Pierson saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 1,158th in popularity, but fell to 1,254th by 2010, marking a decline of approximately 8.29%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 27,730 to 27,983 during the same period, showing a growth rate of about 0.91%. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 7.68%, going from 10.28 to 9.49.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,158 | #1,254 | -8.29% |
| Count | 27,730 | 27,983 | 0.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 10.28 | 9.49 | -7.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pierson
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Pierson, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates some changes over the decade. In 2000, the majority of those with the Pierson surname identified as White (86.02%), which decreased to 84.30% in 2010. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, growing from 1.84% to 2.65%. Similarly, those identifying as having two or more races increased from 1.46% to 2.01%. The percentage of individuals identifying as Black saw a minor increase, going from 9.81% to 10.02%. The percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also slightly increased during this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.02% | 84.3% | -2% |
| Black | 9.81% | 10.02% | 2.14% |
| Hispanic | 1.84% | 2.65% | 44.02% |
| Two or More Races | 1.46% | 2.01% | 37.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.54% | 22.73% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.48% | 14.29% |
Pierson 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 Pierson is British & Irish, which comprises 48.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.8%) and Scandinavian (7.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 48.4% |
| French & German | 24.8% |
| Scandinavian | 7.1% |
| Other | 19.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Pierson
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 Pierson have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.30% |
What Pierson 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 Pierson is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-BY250 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kerr, Platt, Shaw, Blair, Lloyd, Thompson, Fox, Porter, Matthews, Mathews.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pierson surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Pierson 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.
"Pierson" Surname 45.3%
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.
"Pierson" Surname 23.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pierson" Surname 25.6%
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.
"Pierson" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pierson?
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 Pierson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition