Louisiana’s Cajun Last Names and What They Mean
If you grew up in Acadiana, chances are you know plenty of people named Broussard, Boudreaux, Landry, LeBlanc or Thibodeaux. But have you ever stopped to wonder what your Cajun last name actually means?
Some Louisiana surnames are connected to physical characteristics, occupations, places or old French words. Others trace back to the names of ancestors who lived hundreds of years ago. And some have fascinating histories that go back to the earliest Acadian settlements in North America.
Let's take a closer look at some familiar Cajun last names, their possible meanings and the history behind the family names that help make Acadiana unique.
Where Do Cajun Last Names Come From?
The ancestors of many Cajun families originally lived in Acadia, a French-speaking region that included parts of present-day Canada's Maritime Provinces. Beginning in 1755, British authorities forcibly removed thousands of Acadians from their homes during a period known as the Great Expulsion, or Grand Derangement.
Some of those displaced families eventually made their way to Louisiana, where they established new communities and helped shape the culture we know today as Cajun.
READ MORE: 33 Signs Your Louisiana Home Is Pure Cajun and Creole at Heart
Over generations, their descendants thrived throughout South Louisiana. Their family names became part of the region's identity, from Lafayette and St. Martinville to Breaux Bridge, Abbeville and New Iberia.
The Meaning Of Louisiana Cajun Last Names
When it comes to Cajun last names, they aren't just made up words. Our last names have actual meaning, so let's take a look at your last says about your family history.
Below are some of the most common in Acadiana, but if you don't see your last name you can head over to familyeducation.com to see if they have it listed there.
Breaux - Of French origin meaning "those trusted with immense responsibilities".
Touchet - Of Old French origin meaning "grove" or "thicket".
Hebert - Of German origin meaning “brilliant warrior”.
Landry - Of British origin and "signifies a powerful landlord".
READ MORE: Louisiana's Most Cajun First Names Ever
Arceneaux - Of French origin meaning “to love”.
Boudreaux - Of French origin and means "a leader of a group".
Benoit - Of French Creole origin signifying “one who says the good"
Bourgeois - Of French origin meaning “middle class". Boudreaux was once used to describe members of the Third Estate under Louis XVI’s regime.
Theriot - Of French origin meaning "God's gift".
Romero - Of Spanish origin meaning "someone on a religious journey".
Thibodeaux - Of French origin meaning "bold or brave".
Richard - Of German origin meaning "a strong ruler".
Bergeron - Of French origin meaning either "mountains" or "shepherds".
Haydel - Of British origin, used to describe "someone who is attractive both inside and out".
Daigle - Of German origin meaning “of the eagle”.
Fontenot - Of French origin meaning "spring" or "fountain".
Duplantis - Of French origin meaning "someone who lives in a vineyard or plantation".
Barrois - Of Spanish origin meaning "proprietors of large villages or estates".
Domingue - Of Spanish origin signifying the "quality of dignity and integrity".
Champagne - Of French origin meaning "someone with a bubbly personality".
Delaune - Of French origin meaning "someone who lives near an Alder tree". The name Delaune is used to describe someone who is enlightened.
Fortier - Of French origin is used to describe "someone built like a fortress".
LeBoeuf - Of French origin “bull” and describes "powerfully built people".
Melancon - Of French origin meaning "the sick" or "infirmed man".
Trahan - Of French origin and the name represents a "silk worker".
Authement - Of French origin meaning “captain”.
Lapeyrouse - Of French origin meaning "someone who has come from a stony place".
Cormier - Of French origin and is a "topographic name for someone who lived near a sorb or service tree".
LeBlanc - Of French origin meaning "someone who is pale or has white hair".
Bordelon - Of Mediterranean French origin meaning "dweller on the farm".
Chiasson - Of French origin meaning "someone from Chiasso". Chiasso is a location on the border of Italy and Sweeden.
Barrilleaux - Of French origin meaning "someone for whom family is most important".
Gauthier - Of German origin meaning "army".
Gauthreaux - Of French origin meaning "someone in a position of power in the medieval French army".
Ledet - Of French origin meaning “the dice”.
Labat - Of French origin meaning "Priest". It can also mean "someone who lives in a valley".
Faucheaux - Of French origin meaning "someone who mows lawns of the aristocrats".
Doucet - Of French origin used to describe "someone who is gentle natured, sweet and pleasant".
Broussard - Of French origin meaning "a man of the forest".
Guidry - Of French origin meaning "Hunt".
Benoit - Of French origin meaning - “one who says the good”.
10 Most Common Cajun Last Names in Louisiana
Gallery Credit: Michael Scott