Surname Turgeon - Meaning and Origin
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Turgeon: What does the surname Turgeon mean?
The surname Turgeon is of French origin, derived from the old French word "turgeon" which means sturgeon, a type of fish. This could imply that the original bearers of this surname were likely involved in fishing or fish trading. Thus, it is primarily an occupational surname. Like many surnames that derived from occupations, the name would have been descriptive of a person's profession or trade, connecting them to their community and how they contributed. The family name Turgeon was first found in Normandy, northern France, where the family had been established for many centuries, and it is from there they would have spread out to various French territories and subsequently to other parts of the world through migration. People with this surname are mainly found in Canada, France, and the United States today.
Order DNA origin analysisTurgeon: Where does the name Turgeon come from?
The last name Turgeon is a French-Canadian name, so it is most common in French-speaking parts of Canada. It could also be found in the northern United States, particularly in the state of Maine, which shares a border with Canada and has a large French-Canadian population.
Turgeon is common in the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, which have French-speaking majorities. It is also quite common in eastern Ontario and some parts of Saskatchewan.
In the United States, Maine is the place where one is most likely to find the last name Turgeon. There are a significant number of people with this last name living in the city of Lewiston in Maine, a city with a historically large French-Canadian population.
In other countries, the last name Turgeon is much less common. It is found sporadically in countries like France, Switzerland, and Germany, as well as in the United States and Mexico.
Overall, the most likely place to find the last name Turgeon is in French-Canadian parts of Canada and Maine.
Variations of the surname Turgeon
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Turgeon are Turgen, Turgenev, Turgin, Turgennev, Turgennov, Turginov, Turgeneff, Turgenyev, Turgenov, Turgenoff and Turganov.
The surname Turgeon is derived from the Latin word "turris" which means tower. It is believed to be of French origin from the mid 15th century when it began to be adopted by families in France. Turgeon was a topographic name for someone who lived near a tower, within a walled town or fortifications.
In some cases, the surname Turgeon has become Anglicised as Thorn, Thorne or Thurston, which are closer to the ancient spelling. During the Middle Ages, the family would have moved from the Midlands of England to the south west, where the name developed from Turgen to Turgeon and its derivatives.
The surname Turgeon is also found in Normandy, where the Norman-French spelling is Turenne, Turenne, Turango or Turanau. In the south of France, the variant form of Turmant is more common. The Polish spelling is Turgyn, while in Romania, some families have adopted the spelling Turlacu.
Today, these variant spellings and surnames of the same origin with Turgeon are still in use throughout the world.
Famous people with the name Turgeon
- Thibault Turgeon: Canadian actor
- Susan Turgeon: American children's book author
- Keith Haring Turgeon: American artist
- Francine Turgeon: Canadian film producer
- Pierre Turgeon: Canadian professional ice hockey player
- Kayden Turgeon: American child actor
- Gilbert Turgeon: Canadian racing driver
- Paul G. Turgeon: American physicist
- Dave Turgeon– Canadian musician
- Philippa Turgeon: Canadian actress