Explore the Family Name Poindexter
The meaning of Poindexter
English (Lancashire): Anglicized form of Channel Islands (Jersey) Poingdestre, a nickname from Old French poing destre ‘right fist’. This surname is very rare in Britain, while the original form Poingdestre is not found in France at all. Compare Pondexter.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Poindexter in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Poindexter has seen some minor fluctuations over a decade. In 2000, Poindexter was ranked as the 2,958th most popular surname in the United States, and by 2010, it had slightly dropped to the 3,129th position—a decrease of about 5.78%. Despite this, the actual count of individuals with the Poindexter surname increased from 11,201 in 2000 to 11,531 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 2.95%. The proportion per 100k also saw a small decline of 5.78%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,958 | #3,129 | -5.78% |
| Count | 11,201 | 11,531 | 2.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.15 | 3.91 | -5.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Poindexter
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Poindexter, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting trends. There was an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (0.25% to 0.40%), Two or more races (2.53% to 3.44%), Hispanic (1.46% to 2.14%), Black (40.17% to 41.58%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.82% to 0.95%) between 2000 and 2010. However, there was a slight decrease in those identifying as White (54.78% to 51.49%). These shifts reflect the diverse ethnic identities that are associated with the Poindexter surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 54.78% | 51.49% | -6.01% |
| Black | 40.17% | 41.58% | 3.51% |
| Two or More Races | 2.53% | 3.44% | 35.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.46% | 2.14% | 46.58% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.82% | 0.95% | 15.85% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.25% | 0.4% | 60% |
Poindexter 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 Poindexter is British & Irish, which comprises 50.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.2%) and Nigerian (10.2%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Angolan & Congolese, Eastern European, Scandinavian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 50.6% |
| French & German | 19.2% |
| Nigerian | 10.2% |
| Other | 20.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Poindexter
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 Poindexter have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.50% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
What Poindexter 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 Poindexter 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-Z30 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Cutter, Lasher, Aldrich, Hankins, Duvall, Whiteside, Brantley, Dodds, Garza, Warfield.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Poindexter 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 Poindexter 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.
"Poindexter" Surname 44.6%
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.
"Poindexter" Surname 40.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Poindexter" Surname 33.3%
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.
"Poindexter" Surname 19.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Poindexter?
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 Poindexter are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition