Explore the Family Name Turcotte
The meaning of Turcotte
Altered form of French (Vendée) Turcot: diminutive of Turc ‘Turk’, used as a nickname for a swarthy individual or for someone who had traveled to the eastern Mediterranean (e.g. on a crusade); see also Turk. Altered ending reflects the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t. History: The surname Turcot, which is very rare in the US (it is most common in Canada), was brought to North America by several 17th and 18th-century (and possibly also later) French settlers. Jean Turcot from Fontenay-le-Comte in Vendée, France, married Françoise Capel in Trois-Rivières, QC, in 1651. Abel Turcot from Mouilleron-en-Pareds in Vendée, France, married Marie Giraud in Château-Richer, QC, in 1662. Jean Turcot from Chavagnes-en-Paillers in Vendée, France, married Marie Rose in Quebec City, QC, in 1688. François Turcot from Doué-la-Fontaine in Maine-et-Loire, France, married Marie-Catherine Doiron in Port-Toulouse (St. Peters), NS, Canada, c.1739. The majority of their descendants, however, bear various altered forms of the surname, most commonly Turcotte. Some characteristic forenames: French Normand, Marcel, Armand, Andre, Gilles, Laurent, Serge, Alain, Alphonse, Cecile, Donat, Emile.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Turcotte in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Turcotte has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Turcotte was ranked as the 6123rd most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had slipped to the 6647th position, marking an 8.56% drop. The number of people with this surname also decreased marginally from 5160 in 2000 to 5092 in 2010, a decline of 1.32%. The proportion of Turcottes per 100,000 people likewise contracted by 9.42%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,123 | #6,647 | -8.56% |
| Count | 5,160 | 5,092 | -1.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.91 | 1.73 | -9.42% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Turcotte
When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census reports some shifts within the Turcotte population over the same period. In 2000, about 95.37% identified as White, but this proportion dipped slightly to 94.29% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic saw the most notable increase, rising from 0.97% in 2000 to 1.69% in 2010, a growth of 74.23%. Additionally, while there were no individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or Black with the Turcotte surname in 2000, by 2010, these groups accounted for 0.69% and 0.26%, respectively. The American Indian and Alaskan Native representation also increased from 1.47% to 1.73%. However, those reporting two or more races declined from 1.49% to 1.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.37% | 94.29% | -1.13% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.47% | 1.73% | 17.69% |
| Hispanic | 0.97% | 1.69% | 74.23% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 1.36% | -8.72% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.69% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0.26% | 0% |
Turcotte 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 Turcotte is British & Irish, which comprises 42.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (29.2%) and Spanish & Portuguese (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.3% |
| French & German | 29.2% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 6.7% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Turcotte
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 Turcotte have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 75.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 74.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 74.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 74.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 74.10% |
What Turcotte 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 Turcotte 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-M167 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Dion, Allred, Estes, Comstock, Southworth, Demoss, Hargis, Blodgett, Dorris, Huskey.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Turcotte surname are: H1, K1a, 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 Turcotte 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.
"Turcotte" Surname 44.4%
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.
"Turcotte" Surname 29.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Turcotte" Surname 14.6%
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.
"Turcotte" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Turcotte?
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 Turcotte are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition