Contents [hide]

Germain History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Germain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Early Origins of the Germain family

The surname Germain was first found in Savoy (French: Savoie) in the Rhône-Alpes region of the French Alps, where the family held a family seat from ancient times.

Jean Germain, born in 1664, son of Jean and Renée of St.Andre in Poitou, travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in the Canadian province of Quebec he married Catherine Baribault, daughter of François and Perinne, at Batiscan on 9th September 1698. 1

Early History of the Germain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Germain research. Another 329 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1446, 1539, 1590, 1601, 1789, 1806, 1809, 1813, 1814 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Germain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Germain Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Germain, Germin, Germains, Germins, Germaine, German, Germane, Germaneau, Germineau, Germinet, Germaine, Germiny, Germanez, Jermain, Germyn, Jermyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Germain family

Notable in the family name at this time was

Jean François Germain, Lawyer, Legislator and Councillor

Germain World Ranking

In the United States, the name Germain is the 5,196^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Germain is ranked the 557^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,773 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Germain is the 228^th popular surname. 4 France ranks Germain as 172^nd with 19,557 people. 5

Germain migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Germain Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jean Germain, aged 35, who landed in New York in 1642 6

Germain Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Germain who settled with her son, Michael, in Georgia in 1733
Elizabeth Germain, who settled in America in 1756
George Germain, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 6
Magdelaine Germain, who landed in Maryland in 1763 6
Marie Germain, who arrived in Maryland in 1763 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Germain Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jean L Germain, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1850 6
W F Germain, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 6
R Germain, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1855 6
Joseph N Germain, who arrived in Colorado in 1893 6
Debon Germain, who arrived in Arkansas in 1893 6

Germain migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Germain Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Pierre Germain, who landed in Montreal in 1653
Sieur De Germain, who arrived in Montreal in 1653
Robert Germain, son of Julien and Julienne, who married Marie Coignart, daughter of François and Françoise, in Quebec on 29th October 1669 7
Henry Germain, son of Robert and Marie, who married Geneviève Marcot, daughter of Jacques and Élisabeth, in Cap-Santé, Quebec on 26th August 1698 7
Jean Germain, son of Jean and Renée, who married Catherine Baribault, daughter of François and Périnne, in Batiscan, Quebec on 9th September 1698 7

Germain Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Antoine Germain, son of Robert and Marie, who married Élisabeth Trotier, daughter of Jean and Geneviève, in Batiscan, Quebec on 11th February 1710 7
François Germain, son of Georges and Angélique, who married Marie-Anne Perrin, daughter of Mathieu and Jeanne, in Montreal, Quebec on 14th June 1716 7
Pierre Germain, son of Pierre and Anne, who married Catherine Houré, daughter of Gilles and Marie, in Lorette, Quebec on 7th January 1728 7
François Germain, son of Henry and Geneviève, who married Thérèse-Josephte Chapelain, daughter of Louis and Anne, in Deschambault-Grondines, Quebec on 27th April 1738 7
Joseph Germain, son of Antoine and Élisabeth, who married Angélique Biguet, daughter of Etienne and Marie-Angélique, in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec on 28th September 1739 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Germain migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Germain Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 8
Benjamin Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 8
Samuel Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 8
Charles George Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 9
Sarah Ann Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Germain (post 1700) +

George Germain (1716-1785), 1st Viscount Sackville, British Secretary of State during the American Revolutionary War
Paul Germain (b. 1959), American animation producer
Marie-Sophie Germain (1776-1831), French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher, one of the pioneers of elasticity theory, she won the grand prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences for her essay on the subject
Hubert Germain (1920-2021), French politician who was a member of the French Resistance during World War II, the last living Companion of the Order of Liberation
Jean Germain (1947-2015), French Socialist politician, Mayor of Tours (1995-2014)
General Maxime-Jean-Vincent Germain (1881-1953), French Member of Supreme War Council (1941-1942) 10
Brigadier-General Georges-Louis Germain (1877-1954), French General Officer Commander in Chief French Somaliland (1940) 11
Sophie Germain (1776-1831), French mathematician
Russ Germain (1947-2009), Canadian CBC radio broadcaster
Marcel Germain Perrier (1933-2017), French Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Pamiers (2000–2008)

Citations +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SOUTH AUSTRALIAN 1837-1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837SouthAustralian.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SOMERSETSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Somersetshire.htm
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Maxime-Jean-Vincent Germain. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Germain/Maxime-Jean-Vincent/France.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Georges-Louis Germain. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Germain/Georges-Louis/France.html