Explore the Family Name Poirier
The meaning of Poirier
French: topographic name for someone who lived by a pear tree, poirier (from Old French perier), or a habitational name from (Le) Poirier, the name of several places in various parts of France. Compare Peryea and Poirrier. History: Jean Poirier from France married Jeanne Chebrat in France or Acadia c.1647. Jean Poirier dit Lajeunesse from Molières in Lot, France, married Marie Langlois in Montreal, QC, in 1668. Nicolas Poirier from Les Brouzils in Vendée, France, married Anne Rabouin in Montreal, QC, in 1689. Pierre Poirier dit Lafleur from France married Marie-Clémence Maupetit in Lachine, QC, in 1707. Joseph Poirier dit Desloges from Lathus-Saint-Rémy in Vienne, France, married Marie Gauthier in Montreal, QC, in 1709. The descendants of the latter also bear the former secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name Desloges and its altered form Delorge. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Marcel, Andre, Normand, Pierre, Emile, Laurent, Cecile, Jacques, Michel, Raoul, Gilles.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Poirier in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there's been a slight decline in the popularity of the surname Poirier between 2000 and 2010. The ranking fell from 3608 to 3747, denoting a 3.85% decrease. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 4.4%, from 9055 in 2000 to 9453 in 2010. This suggests that while the name is less common relative to other surnames, more people are bearing it overall. The proportion per 100k also dropped from 3.36 to 3.2, representing a 4.76% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,608 | #3,747 | -3.85% |
| Count | 9,055 | 9,453 | 4.4% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.36 | 3.2 | -4.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Poirier
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting shifts over the decade. As of 2010, the majority of individuals with the Poirier surname identify as White, with a small decrease from 96.00% in 2000 to 94.29%. The largest growth was seen within the American Indian and Alaskan Native group, with an impressive 133.33% increase, though they still make up a small portion of the total at 0.56%. Other increases were observed among those identifying as Hispanic (up 44.60% to 2.01%), Black (up 30.00% to 0.78%), and those indicating two or more races (up 41.60% to 1.77%). Despite the increase, Asian/Pacific Islander remains the smallest group, growing from 0.52% to 0.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96% | 94.29% | -1.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.39% | 2.01% | 44.6% |
| Two or More Races | 1.25% | 1.77% | 41.6% |
| Black | 0.6% | 0.78% | 30% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.59% | 13.46% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.24% | 0.56% | 133.33% |
Poirier 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 Poirier is British & Irish, which comprises 42.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (31.9%) and Spanish & Portuguese (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.5% |
| French & German | 31.9% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 7.0% |
| Other | 18.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Poirier
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 Poirier have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 71.60% |
What Poirier 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 Poirier is R-Z150, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z150 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-L1198 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kemper, Denney, Waller, Holly, Slaughter, Steiner, Shoemaker, Heim, Fay, Denny.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Poirier surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Poirier 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.
"Poirier" Surname 40.5%
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.
"Poirier" Surname 33.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Poirier" Surname 22.9%
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.
"Poirier" Surname 17.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Poirier?
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 Poirier are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition