Surname Guillory - Meaning and Origin

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U. Guillory

Guillory: What does the surname Guillory mean?

The last name Guillory is an old French name that originated in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, formerly known as the kingdom of Provence. It is thought to be derived from the Latin name “Gullecius”, meaning ‘servant of the house’. The original spelling of Guillory has varied over the centuries and countries.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Middle Ages as “Guillelme” which is believed to be the Provencal form. From there, the name evolved into “Guillory” by the 16th century. By this time, the name was commonly used in French as a title of nobility and meant “son of Guillelme”.

Over the centuries, members of the Guillory family moved to other parts of Europe and the world, taking the name with them. Today, the name can be found in many forms around the world. In America, people with the last name Guillory have French, African-American, German and Irish roots.

The Guillory name is a proud one, steeped in tradition, and passed down through generations of families. It is a special name with a deep history and has left an important legacy for the many people who bear it.

Guillory: Where does the name Guillory come from?

The last name Guillory is most commonly found in Louisiana, United States, as well as French provinces in western France. Louisiana has the highest concentration of Guillory families, where they are among the state's top 15 surnames. The name's origins are thought to have stemmed from the Old French word guilherm, meaning "to strive or fight."

In Louisiana, the Guillory family has been present since colonial times in the French-speaking and Francophile areas of the Acadian coast. Descendants of the Acadian colonists, the French-speaking descendants of settlers from the Canadian Maritime provinces in the 17th century, the early Guillory families were among the first settlers in Acadiana. The name then spread to rural southern Louisiana, then to other areas throughout the United States.

The spread of the last name Guillory has continued into the 21st century. Today, it is one of the most common surnames among those with Cajun and Creole heritage in Louisiana. It is also widely found in French-speaking areas of Canada. The name is also quite common in central and western France, particularly in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, and Ile-de-France.

Variations of the surname Guillory

The surname Guillory has many variants in spelling, as well as numerous alternate surnames that have the same origin.

One variant is Guilloire, pronounced the same and bearing a similar meaning. In French, this surname originates from the Latin word, “Gulielmus”, meaning “firm protector”, and it is typically associated with nobility and royalty.

Other variants of the Guillory surname include Guillore, Guilloree, Guillori, Guillorie, Guilore, Guyloore, Guiloree, Guillaury, Guillaire, Guellore, Guelloire, Guillot, Guillier, Guilloire, Guillenir, Guilleret, and Gilloore.

Alternate surnames of the same origin include Guillon, Geloro, Richie, Riche, Risley, Richey, Rita, Richard, Richer, Rezendes, Richelieu, and Royal.

The meaning of the original surname, Guillory, is reflected in many of these surnames, most of which include the root word or element of “rich”, “royal”, “Comte”, or “lord”. The name is also sometimes used to refer to people of specific places or regions, such as Guillenir, which references people from the Alsace region in France.

Overall, the name has a noble and royal origin, and the variants and alternate surnames that stem from it are truly well-suited to the original meaning of the name.

Famous people with the name Guillory

• Kelli Guillory: Kelli Guillory is an American actress, best known for her role as Lori Weston on the TV series The District, as well as for providing the voice of Maria Torres in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
• Amber Guillory: Amber Guillory is a stylist, costume designer, and reality TV star. She is best known for appearing on the Bravo show Shear Genius and as a contestant on Project Runway All Stars.
• Chris Guillory: Chris Guillory is a former professional skateboarder and owner of Verducci Skateboards. He is most famous for his early involvement in the street skateboarding movement in Southern California during the 1990s.
• Thom Guillory: Thom Guillory is a retired Major League Baseball player. He spent five seasons with the California Angels from 1982-87 and is one of six players in Angels' history to have at least 10 career wins, 100 strikeouts and 10 homers in an Angels uniform.
• Andrea Guillory: Andrea Guillory is an American professional dancer and choreographer. She has performed on Broadway, in Canada and in many TV shows and films, including High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
• T.J. Guillory: T.J. Guillory is an American basketball coach. He is the current head men's basketball coach at McNeese State University. He also previously served as head coach at Southern University and Grambling State University.
• Tom Guillory: Tom Guillory is an American film director, producer and cinematographer. His credits include the feature films If I Were You, and Soren and Castalia, and the documentary The Missing Peace.
• Don Guillory: Don Guillory is an American actor and stuntman with credits in film and television. He's best known for his stunt work in the James Bond films Die Hard with a Vengeance and The Chronicles of Riddick.

Other surnames

Guillot