Explore the Family Name Pleasant
The meaning of Pleasant
English: 1. (of Norman origin): from the medieval female personal names Plaisance (Old French plaisance ‘pleasure’), or Plaisant (Old French plaisant ‘pleasing’). 2. habitational name from a French form of the name of Piacenza in Italy, earlier Latin Placentia ‘place of pleasure, ease’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pleasant in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Pleasant" has seen a slight decline in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 4652nd but dropped to 4791st by 2010, reflecting a change of -2.99 percent. The total count for this surname, however, increased from 6967 in 2000 to 7378 in 2010, which is a rise of 5.9 percent. This indicates that despite its drop in rank, more people are bearing the surname. The proportion of this surname per 100,000 individuals also saw a marginal decrease from 2.58 to 2.5, showing a change of -3.1 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,652 | #4,791 | -2.99% |
| Count | 6,967 | 7,378 | 5.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.58 | 2.5 | -3.1% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pleasant
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Pleasant", the Decennial U.S. Census shows that there have been some significant shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname rose by 50 percent, while those identifying as two or more races saw an increase of 58.22 percent. The number of Hispanic individuals with this surname nearly doubled, with a growth rate of 93.04 percent. On the contrary, the White population with this surname decreased by approximately 8 percent. The Black community witnessed a minimal increase of 0.35 percent. There was also a small 4.55 percent increase among American Indian and Alaskan Natives.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 54.73% | 54.92% | 0.35% |
| White | 39.69% | 36.53% | -7.96% |
| Two or More Races | 2.25% | 3.56% | 58.22% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 3.05% | 93.04% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.54% | 1.61% | 4.55% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.22% | 0.33% | 50% |
Pleasant 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 Pleasant is British & Irish, which comprises 42.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.1%) and Nigerian (10.2%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Italian, Angolan & Congolese, Spanish & Portuguese, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.0% |
| French & German | 19.1% |
| Nigerian | 10.2% |
| Other | 28.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Pleasant
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 Pleasant have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 65.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 64.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 64.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 64.80% |
What Pleasant 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 Pleasant is J-Z631, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-Z631 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include E-P252 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wendell, Wieland, Eckstein, Warrick, Langston, Muhammad, Hamlett, Dorn, Jefferson, Washington.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Pleasant surname are: H1, H, L2a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Pleasant 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.
"Pleasant" Surname 45.0%
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.
"Pleasant" Surname 42.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Pleasant" Surname 31.7%
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.
"Pleasant" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Pleasant?
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 Pleasant are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition