GAUTHIER Surname Meaning and Family History

Gauthier is a surname often given to lumbermen, originating from the Old French gault and Gaelic gaut, meaning "forest." It comes from the Germanic elements wald meaning "to govern," and hari, meaning "armed."

Surname Origin: French

Alternate Surname Spellings: GAUTIE, GAUTHIE, GAUTHIEZ, GOTHIER, GAUTIER, GAULTIER, GAULTHIER, LES GAUTHIER, LE GAUTHIER

Famous People with the GAUTHIER Surname

• David Gauthier: Canadian-American philosopher
• Théophile Gautier: French poet and author
• Claude Gauthier: French-Canadian singer-songwriter
• Mylène Jeanne Gautier: French-Canadian singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer

Where is the GAUTHIER Surname Most Common?

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According to surname distribution from Forebears, Gauthier is the 20th most common surname in Canada and the 45th most common surname in France. Within Canada, the name is most common in Prince Edward Island, followed by Quebec and the Northeast Territories. In France, the name is most prevalent in central France, with the highest density in the departments of Jura and Loir-et-Cher.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname GAUTHIER

If you are one of those people who have avoided delving into your French ancestry due to fears that the research would be too difficult, don't wait. France is a country with excellent genealogical records, and it is very likely that you will be able to trace your French roots back several generations once you understand how and where the records are kept.

Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Gauthier family crest or coat of arms for the Gauthier surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

Sources

Cottle, Basil. "The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames." Penguin Reference Books, Paperback, 2nd edition, Puffin, August 7, 1984. 

Dorward, David. "Scottish Surnames by David Dorward." Paperback, Interlink Publishing Group, 1845.

Fucilla, Joseph Guerin. "Our Italian Surnames." Genealogical Publishing Company, January 1, 1998.

"Gauthier Surname Definition." Forebears, 2012-2019.

Hanks, Patrick. "A Dictionary of Surnames." Flavia Hodges, Oxford University Press, February 23, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. "Dictionary of American Family Names." 1st Edition, Oxford University Press, May 8, 2003.

Reaney, Percy H. "A Dictionary of English Surnames." Oxford Paperback Reference, Oxford University Press, January 1, 2005.

Smith, Elsdon Coles. "American Surnames." 1st Edition, Chilton Book Co., June 1, 1969.