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Surname Bauvais - Meaning and Origin

all surnames with 'B'

Bauvais: What does the surname Bauvais mean?

The last name Bauvais is of French origin and has quite an interesting meaning. The word “Bau” comes from the old French word “bau” or “bu”—which means “good” or “yerba buena”—and the suffix “vais” means “from.” So, literally, the name Bauvais means “from the good.”

The surname Bauvais was first found in the region of Brittany, where members of the Bauvais family were integral in the development of the political, social and economic domains of the area.

The earliest known record of the name comes from 1227, when Mathurin Bauvais was recorded as living in Brittany. The name Bauvais grew increasingly popular over the centuries, with the family crest being recorded in the region of Rennes.

Today, Bauvais is a relatively rare surname, and is still predominantly found in France. There are a number of variants of the name, such as Bauvises, Bauveaux, Bauveauxes and Bauveau. It is a name with strong links to the proud heritage of the French nation.

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Bauvais: Where does the name Bauvais come from?

The last name Bauvais is most commonly found today in France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Picardy. It is a relatively uncommon name, although there is a sizable population of Bauvais households found throughout both regions. In addition, there are many people of French descent who now live in the United States and Canada who trace their genealogical roots back to families originating in these two regions.

The Bauvais surname is believed to have originated in the northwest of France near the English Channel. It is thought that the name comes from the Old French personal name "Baviau" which means "beaver". The term "Baviau" is derived from the Latin word "castor" which refers to the animal.

The Bauvais surname is found in many records from the 12th century and beyond. Through time, the spelling has evolved to include versions such as Bauviet, Bauveau, Bauvaeux, Bauveêt, Bauvet, Bauval and others. The name is not uncommon in the present day and may be found in France and regions worldwide where French emigrants have settled.

Variations of the surname Bauvais

The surname Bauvais is generally considered to be of German origin, and is believed to have originally been spelled ‘Bauwes’ or ‘Bauhaus’. Variants and alternate spellings of the surname have evolved over time and include ‘Bauweis’, ‘Bauweiss’, 'Bavius', 'Bauvius', 'Bavose', 'Bavoise', 'Bovius', 'Bovose', ‘Bovoise’, ‘Bavoiss’ and ‘Baurvais.’

Other related surnames that have evolved from the same root include ‘Bavau’, 'Bovot', 'Royot', 'Baurt', 'Baubel', 'Boveau', 'Bommersbach' and 'Baumann'. Various dialects of German also result in some localised variants, such as 'Borger' and 'Borgdorff', as well as variants from other languages, such as 'Bauberl' (Austrian), 'Bouveaux' (French) and 'Boviaux' (Belgian).

Although the surname Bauvais appears to be of German origin, many families have anglicised the spelling of the name and adopted more English versions. In2his country, the 'Bauwes' spelling has been replaced with ‘Boise’, ‘Boyce’, ‘Boies’ and ‘Boys’, while the ‘Bauhaus’ spelling has been simplified to ‘Baus’ or even ‘Bos’. French Huguenot settlers to England and North America in the 17th and 18th centuries similarly changed the spelling of their original surname to ‘Bouse’ and ‘Bousset’.

Variant spellings of the surname, therefore, can vary greatly and cover a whole range of names. All surnames originating from 'Bauvais’ however, likely share the same ancestry in some form.

Famous people with the name Bauvais

  • Charles Bauvais: French actor, album producer, and singer/songwriter
  • Jules Bauvais: French sculptor
  • Guillaume Bauvais: French architect and designer
  • Paul Bauvais: French painter and sculptor
  • Adolphe-Joseph Bauvais: French politician
  • Jacques-Louis Bauvais: French sculptor
  • William Bauvais: American golfer
  • Angelica Bauvais: French artist
  • Raymond Bauvais: French film and television actor
  • Amélie Bauvais: French composer and pianist
  • Fabian Bauvais: French tennis player
  • Nina Bauvais: French-Russian politician and businesswoman
  • Victor Bauvais: French Olympic fencer
  • Guillaume Bauvais-Soleil: French engraver and landscape painter
  • Francois-Xavier Bauvais: emerging French music producer and DJ

Other surnames

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