Explore the Family Name Sargent
The meaning of Sargent
English: status or occupational name from Middle English sergeaunt ‘servant’ (Old French sergent, serjant). The surname probably originated for the most part in this sense, but the word also developed a number of more specialized meanings in the medieval period, including ‘tenant by military service below the rank of knight’. It was also used for a variety of administrative and legal offices, which may have contributed to the development of the surname. The sense ‘non-commissioned officer’ did not arise until the 16th century. Compare Sergent. History: William Sargent (1624–1717) came to Gloucester, MA, from Devon, England before 1678. Many of his descendants distinguished themselves in the civil and military affairs of the colonies and some in literary or artistic paths, notably the portrait painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sargent in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Sargent has seen slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked as the 1190th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had fallen to the 1265th position, representing a change of -6.3. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the surname Sargent increased from 27,024 in 2000 to 27,786 in 2010, showing a growth of 2.82. However, when adjusted for population, the proportion per 100k fell slightly from 10.02 to 9.42, a decrease of -5.99.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,190 | #1,265 | -6.3% |
| Count | 27,024 | 27,786 | 2.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 10.02 | 9.42 | -5.99% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sargent
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of people with the surname Sargent identify as White, with this group comprising 87.56% in 2000 and dropping slightly to 86.41% in 2010. The second largest ethnic group is Black, which saw a small increase from 7.61% in 2000 to 7.83% in 2010. The Hispanic and Two or More Races categories also saw substantial growth, increasing by 29.21% and 31.76% respectively. The Asian/Pacific Islander category grew from 0.40% to 0.49%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group decreased from 1.17% to 1.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.56% | 86.41% | -1.31% |
| Black | 7.61% | 7.83% | 2.89% |
| Hispanic | 1.78% | 2.3% | 29.21% |
| Two or More Races | 1.48% | 1.95% | 31.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.17% | 1.03% | -11.97% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.49% | 22.5% |
Sargent 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 Sargent is British & Irish, which comprises 55.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.1%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.4% |
| French & German | 22.1% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 17.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Sargent
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 Sargent have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
What Sargent 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 Sargent is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-A431, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Spencer, Huffman, Goode, Groves, Dietrich, Hubbard, Wolfe, Rudolph, Hatfield, Fry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sargent surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
Your 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 Sargent 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.
"Sargent" Surname 40.3%
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.
"Sargent" Surname 27.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sargent" Surname 26.1%
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.
"Sargent" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sargent?
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 Sargent are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition