Origin
Picard : 1: French Walloon Catalan and German; Breton (also Le Picard): from Old French and Catalan picard ‘Picard’ a habitational name for someone from Picardy in northern France. This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium. Compare Pecore.2: French: in some cases probably also from pic ‘pick pike’ + the pejorative suffix -ard applied as a nickname for e.g. a user of a pointed tool.3: English (of Norman origin): variant of Pickard mostly a cognate of 1 above.4: Jewish (western Ashkenazic): Frenchified form of German Bickhart.
Arches : 1: from Arques-la-Bataille in Offranville (Seine-Maritime) which is recorded as (de) Archis in 1024 or possibly in some cases from Pont-de-l'Arche (Eure) recorded as Archas in the 11th century. These place-names derive from Latin arca ‘arch bridge’ (Old French arche northern Norman and Picard Old French arque). Arques in Pas-de-Calais has also been suggested as a possible source of some of the Norman family names but there is no evidence of it being pronounced as Arches the regular form of the surname in England. It is recorded as Arkae in the 7th century and Ariaco in the 9th century and may derive from Celtic *Ariācon ‘territory of a man called Arios’. Arches was sometimes reduced to Arch and the variant form Darches with fused preposition as in Simon Darches alias de Arches 1316-17 in TNA (Bucks) may have been reduced to Darch. 2: possibly a variant of Arch with post-medieval excrescent -s but Arch itself may b a reduced form of the name in (1).
Ballou : 1: French: possibly an altered form of French and Flemish Ballieu or Balliu surnames mainly found in Nord in France and in neighbouring Flanders in Belgium. If so it is either habitational from one of the numerous places in Picardy Artois and Normandy called Bailleul (Old French Balliol) or an occupational name from Old Picard and Middle Dutch bailli(e)u ba(i)lleu baillu (Old French baillif balliu) ‘bailiff’. Alternatively the name Ballou might be from the ancient Germanic personal name Balowulf composed of the elements balo ‘torment wickedness’ and wulf ‘wolf’. The surname Ballou is rare in France.2: Alternatively an altered form of French Belleau or perhaps Beaulieu. The name is sometimes (also) said to be an altered form of Boileau but this is problematic in terms of family history and phonological development. Compare Ballew Ballow 1 Belew Bellew and Belue.3: Alternatively a rare variant of English Ballow 2 or an altered form of English Bellew 1.
Baskett : English:: 1: from Middle English basket ‘basket’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a basket maker or perhaps for someone who carried a basket or pannier as part of his work for example carrying baskets of stone to a lime kiln. In some cases it appears to have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a basket (probably owned by a basket maker).2: variant of Bascott a habitational name from Bascote in Warwickshire probably so named with an unattested Old English personal name Basuca + cot ‘cottage’.3: possibly from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Basket which could have been a pet form of Base (see Bass) + the Picard and Flemish double diminutive hypocoristic suffix -ket. Compare Bosket.
Baskin : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Irish Ó Baiscinn from the personal name Bascaoin meaning ‘fair of hand’. The surname arose from a historical population group called Corca Bhaiscinn ‘seed of Bascaoin’ in west County Clare and is independent of the Norman name (see 3 below).2: English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English personal name Baskin a borrowing of Flemish or Picard Basequin a pet form of Base (ancient Germanic Baso perhaps meaning ‘purple’) + the diminutive suffix -kin. It could also have been used as a pet form of Old French Basile. See Bass.3: Jewish (from Belarus and Ukraine): metronymic formed with the Slavic possessive suffix -in from the Yiddish female personal name Baske a pet form of the Biblical name Bath Seba under the influence of Polish Basia a pet form of Barbara.
Cahue : Spanish (Cahué): from French Cahuet a nickname from Picard caüe ‘tawny owl’.
Calland : 1: Manx: variant of Scottish and Irish Callan.2: Americanized form of Norwegian Kalland or its variant Kaland.3: Possibly also French: metonymic occupational name for someone who owned or sailed a large cargo vessel from a Picard or southern French variant of Old French chaland ‘large cargo vessel’.
Cane : 1: English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Caen in Calvados (France). See also Cain and Cam.2: English: from a Middle English survival of the Old English personal name Cana which is probably of ancient Germanic origin.3: English: nickname for a tall thin man from Middle English Old French cane ‘cane reed’ (from Latin canna). It may also be a metonymic occupational name for someone who gathered reeds which were widely used in the Middle Ages as a floor covering as roofing material and for weaving small baskets.4: Irish (Mayo) and Scottish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Catháin or Mac Catháin see Kane.5: Italian (northern; Canè): habitational name from a place caled Canè in Brescia.6: Italian (southern; Canè): occupational name for a basket maker or the like from Greek kanna ‘reed’ + the occupational suffix -(e)as.7: French: from a Norman and Picard variant of chane a term denoting a particular type of elongated pitcher (ultimately from Latin canna ‘reed’) hence possibly a metonymic occupational name for a potter who specialized in making such jugs or a nickname for someone who resembled one.8: French (Cané): topographic name from Gascon caner from Latin canna ‘reed’.9: Albanian: from Cane a vernacular short form of the Muslim personal name Hasan.10: Americanized form of an unidentified German surname most likely Köhn (see Kohn). Compare Kane.
Capon : 1: English French (northern) and Walloon: from Middle English capo(u)n capen Picard capon and Middle Dutch capoen ‘capon’ applied as an unflattering nickname for a feeble man or a cuckold or as a metonymic occupational name for someone who reared or sold capons. This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium.2: Spanish (Capón) and Jewish (Sephardic): from Spanish capón a cognate of 1 above.
Cardin : French: from a shortened form of the personal name Ricardin a Norman and Picard pet form of Richard.
Carlier : French (mainly Nord and Aisne) and Walloon: Norman and Picard variant of Charlier. This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium and in the Netherlands. It was also brought to England by French Huguenots.
Carnal : 1: English: variant of Carnall or Carnell.2: Possibly also an altered form of French Carnel: metonymic occupational name for a maker of latches and hinges from Old Picard carnel Old French charnel ‘hinge’.
Carne : 1: Cornish (Devon and Cornwall): topographic name from Cornish carn ‘cairn rock pile tor’ or a habitational name from any of several places in Cornwall named Carn(e) from this word.2: Catalan: variant of Carner.3: French: metonymic occupational name from Old Picard carne ‘hinge’ (Old French charnel).4: French (Carné): nickname for a thin man or alternatively for a fat one. The surname derives from the past participle of Norman Picard and Occitan carner (Old French charner) from c(h)ar ‘flesh meat’ (from Latin caro genitive carnis). This term was used in a variety of senses as for example ‘to strip flesh from the bone’ or ‘to feed animals with meat’ and it is from this that the ambiguity of the nickname arises.
Carpentier : French: Norman Picard or Occitan variant of Charpentier.
Carton : 1: French (northern) and Walloon; Flemish and Dutch (of French origin): occupational name for a carter derived from a Picard form of Old French charreton ‘carter’ hence a variant of French Charton.2: French: from Old French carton a measure of cereals; hence a metonymic occupational name for a grain merchant.3: Spanish (Cartón): perhaps a nickname from cartón ‘cardboard’ of uncertain motivation.4: Irish (Wexford Derry Dublin): shortened form of McCartan.5: English: habitational name from Corton in Suffolk (early recorded as Karetun denoting ‘Kari's village or estate’) but the earliest examples of the surname appear in Lincolnshire. A family from Corton could have migrated to Holbeach (Lincolnshire) by the 13th century retaining the former pronunciation of the placename. Alternatively Carton could have named a lost place in Lincolnshire or else it was an alternative name for Careby (Lincolnshire) north of Stamford but there is no record of this. It is not certain that this surname has survived to the present time.
Casteel : 1: Altered form of mainly northern French Ducastel: topographic name with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’ from Picard castel Old French chastel ‘castle’ (see Castel 5 compare 2 below); or a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Le Castel. Compare Castile.2: Dutch: from kasteel ‘castle’ hence a topographic name or a metonymic occupational name for someone who lived or worked in a castle.
Catt : 1: English (Sussex and Kent): nickname from Middle English c(h)at ‘cat’ (Old English catt Norman and Picard Old French cat Parisian Old French chat). The word is found in similar forms in most European languages from very early times (e.g. Gaelic cath Old Slavic kotъ). Domestic cats were unknown in Europe in classical times when weasels fulfilled many of their functions for example in hunting rodents. They seem to have come from Egypt where they were regarded as sacred animals.2: English: occasionally perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English female personal name Cat a pet form of Catelin ‘Catherine’. See Catlin. Alternatively perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Cat(te) or Chat(te) a survival of Old C(e)atta which is well attested in placenames.3: Americanized form of North German Katt.
Causer : English (West Midlands): probably a variant of Chauser an occupational name for a maker of leggings or other apparel for the legs or feet from an agent derivative probably of a northern variant of Old French cauc(i)er chaucier ‘maker of hose shoemaker’ although Cauc(i)er the Norman and Picard form of the name has not yet been noted in English medieval records. Alternatively perhaps a variant of Cosier an occupational name from Middle English cosere ‘horse dealer’.
Cave : 1: English: habitational name from a place in East Yorkshire called Cave apparently from a river name derived from Old English cāf ‘swift’.2: English (of Norman origin): nickname from Norman and Picard Old French cauf (from Latin calvus) ‘bald’.3: French: topographic name for someone who lived in or near a cave from Old French cave ‘cave’ ‘cellar’ (from Latin cavea a derivative of cavus ‘hollow’).
Cawse : 1: from the Pays de Caux (Normandy). Some of the bearers below may belong under (2) or (3). The name is synonymous with Cawsey (1) and the two names were interchangeable even in the early modern period. 2: possibly from Cause (Shrops) which is recorded as Caus in 1134 Cawes in 1255 and Caurse about 1540 and may take its name from the surname in (1). However it is possible that this place did not give rise to a surname and that the early bearer example belongs under (1). 3: perhaps from Old French cauce a Norman and Picard variant of Old French chaucee ‘stocking’ used to denote someone whose hosiery was particularly noteworthy for some reason or perhaps for a maker or seller of such items. Compare Causer.
Ceney : perhaps from Old French sené ‘wise’ which gave rise to the Norman and Picard French surname Sené(e).
Chaffe : English (Devon; of Norman origin): nickname meaning ‘bald’ from Parisian Old French chauf (Norman and Picard cauf Latin calvus).
Chant : English (southern): from Parisian Old French chant Norman and Picard Old French cant ‘singing song’ applied as a metonymic occupational name for a singer in a chantry or possibly as a nickname for a noted songster.
Choquette : Americanized form of French Choquet: Picard form of Old French soquet which was the term for a tax on wines and foodstuffs hence a metonymic occupational name for a collector of such taxes. Altered ending reflects the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t. Compare Shackett.
Coache : 1: French Canadian: altered form of Hungarian Kovacs ‘blacksmith’ or of a Hungarized form of the Slavic cognate Kovač (see Kovac). Compare Coash.2: In some cases possibly also northern French: from the Norman and Picard term for a damson probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of plums.
Corprew : Perhaps an Anglicized form of Walloon Carpreau a nickname from Old French carprel carpreau a diminutive form of Old Picard carpre ‘carp’ perhaps for a fish merchant. Compare Karper.
Cron : 1: Scottish (Dumfriesshire and Cumberland): variant of Crone.2: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Kron and in North America (also) an altered form of this. The surname Cron is also found in France (Alsace).3: French (western): probably from crone a regional word denoting a water hole hence a nickname for someone who fishes in the water holes.4: French (northern): nickname for a hunchback from Old Picard cron ‘curved bent’.5: Breton (also Le Cron): nickname for a rotund man from kronn ‘round(ed)’.6: Americanized form of Swedish Kron.
Delo : 1: Altered form of German Thilo: variant of Thiel.2: English (Kent): variant of Dellow either a habitational name from Middle English del hoe ‘from the spur or promontory’ (Old English hōh) or from Middle English de(l) lawe de(l) louwe ‘from the knoll or mound’ (Old English hlāw).3: English (of French Huguenot origin): Anglicized form either of French Deleu ‘(son) of Wolf’ from a name derived from leu Picard form of French loup ‘wolf’ or of Deleau ‘from the water’ denoting someone who lived on the banks of a river etc. The name is also perhaps a surname of French form including the name of one of several places in the Netherlands called Loo from an Early Middle Dutch word from ancient Germanic lauha ‘open space in a wood’ with the Dutch definite article de; compare Vandeloo.
Ducane : from French du Quesne a Picard variant of Duchêne denoting someone who lived ‘by the oak’ Old French chasne.
Ga : 1: French: apparently a nickname from Picard ga ‘jay’. It is very rare in France.2: Japanese: written 賀 ‘celebration’ a rare name found in western Japan sometimes pronounced Iwai 2 with the same meaning. Some bearers are of Chinese origin whose name was pronounced He.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 賈 based on its Cantonese pronunciation see Jia 1.
Gambier : from Old French gambier a Norman and Picard masculine form of Old French jambière ‘leg armour’ perhaps given to someone who wore or made leg armour.
Groizard : from a derivative of a Picard form of French grès ‘sandstone stone’ (from Frankish greot ‘gravel pebble’) for a person who lived at or near a stony area.
Grumet : 1: Jewish (from Austrian Galicia): from German Grummet ‘aftermath rowen’ one of names assigned at random by Austrian clerks.2: French: metonymic occupational name for a fuller from Old Picard grumet ‘oats’ which were used in the fulling process.
Hack : 1: German and Dutch: from the ancient Germanic personal name Hac(c)o a short form of a compound name beginning with the element hag ‘hedge enclosure’.2: German and Dutch: occupational name for a butcher or a woodcutter (see Hacker).3: North German: occupational name for a peddler (see Haack 3).4: North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a hedge (see Heck 1).5: North German: perhaps also a topographic name from hach hack ‘dirty boggy water’.6: English: from the early Middle English personal name Acke or (with prosthetic H-) Hake which is an Anglo-Scandinavian pet form of Old Scandinavian Áskell (see Haskell).7: English: alternatively a borrowing of Middle Dutch Hakke a de-nasalized variant of Hanke which is a Flemish and Picard pet form of John.8: English: nickname from Middle English hak ‘unsparing ruthless’.9: Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from Yiddish hak ‘axe’.
Hobgen : apparently from a compound of two Middle English personal names Hobbe (see Hobb) + John presumably denoting ‘son of Robert son of John’. It is a rare occurrence but is said to be paralleled in the medieval surnames Jakharry and Watfilip cited in Reaney Origin p. 239. However no medieval evidence has yet been found for Hobjohn and -john may be a modern alteration by folk etymology of the Old French hypocoristic suffix -çon (Old Picard and northern Norman French -chon). See (ii).from an unrecorded Middle English *Hobechon a rhyming form of Middle English Robechon (Old Picard Robechon Old French Robeçon) a pet form of Robert. See Rabjohn where the same change of -chon to -john has occurred and compare Hobin (see Hobbin) as a rhyming form of Robin.perhaps a combination of Middle English hobbe and John literally ‘goblin John’. Hob was certainly ‘goblin’ in Sussex as presumably in Hobb’s Arse (now Hobb’s Haste) in Friston.
Jack : 1: English and Scottish: from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Jak Jakke Jagge Jake Jeke Jegge a Picard-Flemish denasalized form of Old Picard and Middle Dutch Janke a pet form of Jan (see John). It was introduced by Flemings and Picards into Norman and Anglo-Norman usage whence it became a common English and Scottish pet form of John. Although the surname is mainly Scottish in distribution it also occurs in England though the more common form there is Jackson.2: English: occasionally perhaps from a Middle English borrowing of the Old French personal name Jacque(s) (James). However it is uncertain whether English Jack was ever used as an alternative to James.3: Native American (e.g. Navajo): adoption of the English personal name Jack (see 1 above) as a surname.4: German (also Jäck): from a short form of the personal name Jacob.5: Americanized form of French Jacques 1.6: Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.
Jackaman : from Old French Jaquemin and Jacquemon pet forms of Jacqueme a Picard form of James (Latin *Jacomus). Jakemin de Sessolu 1302 in London Court Rolls is also called James. Jacqueme is also found as a female name. The surname was probably also spelled Jakeman and Jakemon; see Jackman.
Jackman : 1: English: occupational name for the servant of someone who bore the personal name Jack from Jack + man.2: English (of Norman origin): from Old French Jaquemin and Jacquemon pet forms of Jacqueme a Picard form of James (from Latin Jacomus). Jacqueme is also found as a female name. The surname was probably also spelled Jakeman and Jakemon.3: Americanized form of French Jacquème (see James).4: Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames.5: Americanized form of German Jachmann or Jackmann from a Czech pet form of a name ultimately from the Biblical name Yochanam (see John) + Middle High German man ‘man’.
Jacomb : perhaps from the Old French personal name Jacqueme the Picard form of James (Latin *Jacomus) but evidence of English use of the name is lacking. The -b- in the name would be intrusive. Otherwise the name looks like a place-name in -comb. None of relevance has been found but the type has probably influenced the spelling.
John : 1: English and Welsh: ultimately from the Hebrew personal name Yoḥanan ‘Jehovah has favored (me with a son)’ or ‘may Jehovah favor (this child)’. This personal name was adopted into Latin (via Greek) as Johannes and has enjoyed enormous popularity in Europe throughout the Christian era being given in honor of Saint John the Baptist precursor of Christ and of Saint John the Evangelist author of the fourth gospel as well as the nearly one thousand other Christian saints who bore the name. Some of the principal forms of the personal name in other languages are: Welsh Ieuan Evan Siôn and Ioan; Scottish Ia(i)n; Irish Séan; German Johann Johannes; Dutch and Slavic Jan; French Jean; Italian Giovanni; Spanish Juan; Portuguese João; Greek Iōannēs (vernacular Giannis Yannis); Russian Ivan. There were a number of different forms of the name in Middle English including Jan(e) a male name (see Jayne); Jen (see Jenkin); Jon(e) (see Jones); and Han(n) (see Hann). By the beginning of the 14th century John rivalled William in popularity and has always been a favorite name. Johan became Jo(h)n and another Old French form Jehan was shortened to Jan and Jen giving rise to Old French and Middle English diminutives such as Jonin Janin and Jenin. More common in Middle English were Jankin Jonkin and Jenkin which were Middle Dutch pet forms introduced after the Conquest by Flemish and Picard settlers. The most common pet form of John was Jack another borrowing from Flemish and Picard usage. Han may sometimes have been a short form of Johan but was more usually a pet form of Henry. There were also various Middle English feminine versions of this name (e.g. Joan Jehan) some of which were indistinguishable from masculine forms. The distinction on grounds of gender between John and Joan was not firmly established in English until the 17th century. It was even later that Jean and Jane were specialized as specifically female names in English; bearers of these surnames and their derivatives are more likely to derive them from a male ancestor than a female. As a surname in the British Isles John is particularly frequent in Wales where it is a late formation representing Welsh Siôn rather than the older form Ieuan (which gave rise to the surname Evan). In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages e.g. Assyrian/Chaldean Youkhana French Jean Hungarian János (see Janos) Slovenian Janež and Janeš (see Janes) Czech Jan Albanian Gjoni and their derivatives (see examples at Johnson). The name John is also found among Christians in southern India (compare Ninan and Yohannan) but since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames the southern Indian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.2: German: from a North German and Silesian variant of the personal name Johannes. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). Compare Yohn.
Leleu : from Old French le Leu a Picard form of Old French le loup ‘the wolf’. Compare Lew and Low.
Levis : 1: English: from the Middle English personal name Levis (Old English Lēofhyse from lēof ‘dear beloved’ + hyse ‘youth warrior’).2: English: occasionally perhaps from the Middle English personal name Leve Old English Lēofa (male) or Lēofe (female) which derive from lēof ‘dear beloved’ with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s since Leve is attested as a medieval surname.3: English: perhaps also from Middle English lef leve plural leves possibly representing Old English lēaf ‘leaf foliage’ in some topographic sense or Old English hlīf ‘shelter’.4: English: occasionally perhaps a pronunciation of Levers or vice versa.5: Irish: shortened form of Dunleavy.6: Italian: patronymic from the personal name Levi. It is formed with the Latin ablative plural suffix -is imparting the sense ‘belonging to of’ in this case ‘member of the Levi family’ (compare Levi). This surname is also found in southern France. As a French Canadian surname of Italian origin it is spelled Lévis.7: French (Artois): from Old French vis ‘(spiral) staircase’ with fused Old Picard feminine article le; perhaps a nickname for someone whose house had such a feature.8: Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) Jewish Ashkenazic surname such as Levy or Levinson.
Moura : 1: Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from Moura in Beja Portugal or from any of the like named places in Galicia.2: French (mainly Gascogne): dialect variant of More ‘Moor’. Compare Moure.3: French (mainly Nord): probably a topographic name from old Picard moure ‘marsh’.
Pickard : 1: English (mainly Yorkshire) and German: habitational name for someone from Picardy in northern France (see Picard 1).2: English: in some cases possibly also from the Old French personal name Picard probably from an ancient Germanic name composed of the elements bic ‘sharp point pointed weapon’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’.
Quenault : from a derivative of Norman or Picard French quesne ‘oak’.
Quesnel : French: topographic name derived from Norman Picard quesne ‘oak tree’ or a habitational name from (Le) Quesnel the name of several places in the north of France named from the same word. Compare Canell and Quesnell.
Rabjohn : English (Devon Essex): from the Middle English personal name Robechon (of Norman French origin: Old Picard Robichon Old French Robeçun) a double diminutive of Rob a pet form of Robert altered by folk etymology to Robjohn and Rabjohn.
Raquet : 1: German: probably of French origin (see below).2: French: diminutive of Raque.3: French: topographic name derived from Old Picard raque ‘marsh slough fen’.
Richard : English French West Indian (mainly Haiti) German and Dutch: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rīc ‘power(ful)’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. The Middle English forms were Richard and Rikard respectively Parisian Old French and Old Picard pronunciations of the ancient Germanic name. Middle English Rikard gives rise to the pet form Rick whilst Richard has given the pet forms Richie and Rich. Both produced rhyming pet forms Dick and Hick for Rikard and Hitch for Richard.
Richins : English: from the Middle English personal name Ricun a diminutive of Rich itself a pet form of Richard with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. It appears that a dialectally different (Norman or Picard) form of the French name with medial /-k-/ also survived in England for a time alongside forms with original /-tʃ-/.
Sebire : 1: from Sébire a Picard variant of French Sibille from the female personal name Sibille. Compare Sibble. 2: see Lesbirel.
Tardie : French: variant of Tardieu an Occitan and Picard variant of Tardif. The surname Tardie is rare in France. In North America this surname is also an altered form of Tardif.
Trachy : Channel Islands (Jersey): topographic name for someone who lived by a track or path from French traché a derivative of Picard trache Old French trace ‘track path’.
Wack : 1: German: variant of Waack 1.2: German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Wacko based on Old High German wachar wakar ‘awake watchful vigilant’.3: English (Yorkshire): perhaps from the Anglo-Norman French personal name Wacke a Picard form of ancient Germanic Wacco. This was a pet form of ancient Germanic names beginning with Walh- ‘(Romance-speaking) foreigner’ with which Wacke was evidently interchangeable.4: English: variant of Wake.
Wagnon : 1: Swiss French and northern French: occupational name for a farmer or peasant from a regional Swiss French diminutive noun derivative of the Old French verb gaaignier ‘to cultivate or work (the land)’ or from a diminutive of Walloon and Picard wagneu(r) ‘farmer’; compare Gagnon 1. This surname is also found in Belgium (mainly Wallonia).2: French: habitational name from a place in Novion-Porcien (Ardennes) so named from the ancient Germanic personal name Wanio.
William : 1: English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English personal name William Willam Willem an Old Picard and Norman French form of ancient Germanic Willihelm composed of the elements wil- ‘will desire’ + helm- ‘helmet protection’. This Norman personal name became widely used in England Scotland and Wales after the Conquest mainly no doubt in honor of the Conqueror himself. By the 13th century it had already become the most popular personal name in England. A Parisian form of the name Guillaume was also sometimes used (see Gillam) which in medieval Wales was adopted as Gwilym (see Gwilliam).2: Americanized form (translation into English) of French Guillaume.
Williquette : Americanized form of French Williquet: from a pet form of the personal name Willaume Norman and Picard form of Guillaume an equivalent of William. Altered ending reflects the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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