Surname Guillard - Meaning and Origin

Diving into Ancestry: My Emotional Journey with iGENEA and the Guillard Legacy

Embarking on a soul-stirring journey with iGENEA, I uncovered the branches of my genealogical tree. The experience enhanced my emotional connection to my family and surname, Guillard, validating the sense of pride that binds us to our roots.

A. Guillard

Guillard: What does the surname Guillard mean?

The last name Guillard is a French occupational surname which originated during the Middle Ages and means, literally, “watchman” or “guard”. The name derived from the Old French word “guard” or “guardien”, which referred to people who were responsible for the elites’ protection or safety, or to those who did watch duty at gates, watch towers, or other locations. During the medieval period, such guards served both military and civil purposes.

The pasthname Guillard was likely borne by such a guard or perhaps someone who resided near a guard or watchman, and it can be found today among multiple French-speaking countries around the world. It is a very common name, and many variants exist aside from the traditional Guillard spelling. For instance, the name Guillot, which is also French, can be seen as a variation of Guillard.

In addition to watchmen, the surname may also have been given to a person who lived in or near a village or an estate of some kind, since the Latin root of Guillard is related to villa, meaning “town”. Therefore, the Guillard family may have traditionally been associated with a village rather than with a guard.

In summary, the surname Guillard has traditionally been associated with that of a watchman or a guard, although it can also be connected to people who dwelt near a village or estate. This name is still quite common in multiple French-speaking countries around the world today.

Guillard: Where does the name Guillard come from?

The last name Guillard is attributed to French origin, meaning a large, thriving settlement or village. It is most commonly found today among French-speaking populations in North America, South America, parts of Europe, and West Africa.

In the United States, the most recent records show that the last name Guillard is most frequently seen in Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Ohio. The Louisiana population is mainly attributed to French settlers arriving in Louisiana before the 19th century. As a result, the French culture and dialect are still prominent among some of the community members.

In West Africa, the name Guillard can be found in Senegal, Guinea, and Mali. Similarly, French African settlers traveled here and established their own independent settlements, bringing their own language, customs, and cultural traditions with them.

In South and Central America, descendants of French settlers escaping French Revolution still use and carry their last name Guillard.

In Europe, due to the long French colonial presence in Algeria, the name Guillard is common in areas of France, Belgium, and parts of Germany. The same is true of parts of the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.

No matter where the name Guillard is found today, it continues to represent a cultural past of French ancestors all over the world.

Variations of the surname Guillard

Guillard is an old French surname which originated from the Gallic word "gual" meaning foreign, thus someone who was from the outside. The variants, spellings, and surnames of this same origin include Gwaltney, Gwalter, Gwaldy, Gualtier, Guillere, Gualtieri, Guillerme, Guillemot, Guillier, and Guilliom.

Gwaltney and Gwalter originated in the Brittany region of France and is believed to mean "foreigner". Gwaldy and Gualtieri, which has an Italian derivation, mean "master" or "ruler" and are thought to be derived from one of the older forms of the name. Guillere, which is found in the Limousin region of France, is derived from the Latin "gualdere" meaning foreigner. Guillerme and Guillemot, found in Normandy, are derived from the Norman French form of Walter, which is ‘Gualto’.

Guillier is French and could mean "foreigner" or "exile" and was most likely adopted by those who were from outside of France. Guilliom was a regional form of the name found in the Loire Valley region of France and is thought to originate from the Latinised form of the name, "Gualleme".

Overall, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the Guillard origin all support the same basic meaning: "foreigner" or one who was from the outside. As with a lot of family names, some of the variants and spellings found today can have very different meanings or references to those in use centuries ago.

Famous people with the name Guillard

• Florent Guillard: Professional French judoka and three-time Olympian
• Sarah Guillard: Professional French player in the Women's French Basketball League
• Thierry Guillard: French journalist and showman
• Paul Guillard: French player of Olympique Lyonnais
• Malory Guillard: French professional Basketball player
• Grégory Guillard: Four-time winner of the Francophone challenge of the belarusian dictionary
• Philippe Guillard: French sculptor and actor
• Lucie Guillard: French architect and designer
• Gérard Guillard: French professional golfer
• Alain Guillard: French writer and poet

Other surnames

Guillaume