Surname Julien - Meaning and Origin

Unraveling the Mysteries of My Heritage: An Insight into my Julien Surname through iGENEA DNA Test

Undertaking a DNA test at iGENEA, I delved into the extensive European lineage tied to my surname, Julien. The result, backed by a 99.9% certainty rate, revealed a rich history tied to France and included detailed accounts of wide-spread migrations and the sociocultural backdrop of those times. The test offered a harmonious pairing of genetics and history, culminating in a personalised narrative of my ancestry.

J. Julien

Julien: What does the surname Julien mean?

The last name Julien is believed to be of French origin, and is thought to derive from the given name Galien, a Latinized form of the ancient Greek Γαληνος (Galēnos). Originally a surname of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy, it later became widespread among the French nobility in the Middle Ages.

The most likely meaning of this name is "youthful", or "descendant of Julius," which suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been someone closely related to the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. The name also appears in the Latin term iuvenis, which was used to describe boys or young men, so it could just mean "young man".

The name has retained much of its original prestige and has been borne by many prominent figures throughout history, including St. Julien Eymard, the founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, and Nobel Prize Laureate Charles Julien Brianchon.

The name Julien still carries an air of distinction, and has been used as a first name as well as a surname in many families.

Julien: Where does the name Julien come from?

The last name Julien is a French surname, originating from the personal name Julianus, derived from the Latin word iulianus, meaning “youthful” or “child of Jove”. The surname Julien is most commonly found in France, where it is the eighth most frequent surname. The name is also present in the French-speaking countries of Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec. Julien is also a popular surname in Algeria, which is populated by many people of French descent.

Due to historical immigration patterns, the Julien surname is also common in former British colonies such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is especially common among French-speaking Creoles living in Louisiana and other southern US states.

Outside of French-speaking areas, the Julien surname is relatively rare. It may be found in places such as Mexico, Lebanon, and Spain, where there are sizable French-speaking expatriate communities. In Brazil, the Julien surname is especially common among French immigrants from Haiti.

In general, the Julien surname is most commonly found among people of French descent, but it can also be found in other parts of the world due to historical migrations.

Variations of the surname Julien

The surname Julien can have many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most commonly found variant is Julien; however, other variations include Ghilien, Ghillon, Ghilain, Ghilainne, Jullien, Jullion, and Guillemin. In addition, other spellings of Julien include Julian, Gilian, Gillein, and Gilligan.

Other cognates for Julien, which have cultural and language-specific origins, include Juliano (in Spain and Portugal), Giuliano (in Italy), and Julien (in France). In some cases, the spelling may signify a shortened form (often of Julio or Julian) as well.

In terms of surnames of similar origin to Julien, there are a few that may be considered. Giullien and Julien share the same root and may have been adapted over time in different language settings. Some other surnames that could be considered of similar origin to Julien include Guilhem, Guilloux, and Gueillaud.

Finally, there could be other distant variants related to Julien such as Gillier, Gillein, Gillain, and Gillan. These variations are much more difficult to document accurately, but are believed to be distant relatives of the Julien surname.

In sum, there is a wide variety of surnames related to Julien, and many more than can be listed within the confines of this page. Although most of them have cultural, language-specific, and possibly geographic-specific origins, they all maintain a common foundation in the Julien name.

Famous people with the name Julien

• Andreas Julien: a highly successful Swiss entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with over two decades of experience in the world of technology and startups.
• Avery Julien: an American professional basketball player currently with the G-League's Agua Caliente Clippers.
• Brian Julien: a Canadian actor best known for his role in the television series Space Cases as Harlan Band.
• Critical Julien: an emerging artist from Long Island who specializes in mixing Hip Hop, Electronic, and Dance genres to create something entirely original.
• Dave Julien: an American performer and improviser who has been performing in comedic theater for over twenty years.
• Denice Julien: a French newspaper editor and local politician who has served as a member of the Val-de-Marne's General Council since 2014.
• Djibril Julien: a Haitian professional football player and Haitian international who plays as a midfielder for Greek club AE Larisa.
• Errol Julien: a Trinidad and Tobago international soccer player who currently plays for London City in Canada.
• Fabian Julien: a French actor well-known for his roles in the films Cocoon and The Count of Monte Cristo.
• Frank Julien: a Canadian actor and voice-over artist, best known for his role in the animated series The Magician's Elephant.

Other surnames

Julienne