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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
Ireland

The name Germain is rooted in the ancient Norman culture that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was a name for someone who was a person of German descent, or a person who was associated with that country through trade or other means. Another derivation of the name suggests that it derives from the Old French given name Germain. This name was borne by a popular French saint from the 5th century, and also meant of the same stock, or related to.

Germanus (378?-448), was "Bishop of Auxerre, and missionary to Britain, son of noble parents whose names are given as Rusticus and Germanilla, was born at Auxerre about 378, and after attending schools in Gaul went to study at Rome. " 1

Germain is a classic example of an polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

Early Origins of the Germain family

The surname Germain was first found in Essex where Jerman filius Willelmi was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1248. 2 However, Germanus was earlier listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3

Early History of the Germain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Germain research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1248, 1250, 1279, 1318, 1377, 1397, 1402, 1650, 1680, 1718, 1738 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Germain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Germain Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled German, Germans, Jermain, Jarman and others.

Early Notables of the Germain family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir John Germain, 1st Baronet (1650-1718), was a British soldier and politician, thought to have been an illegitimate half-brother of William III of England. "His mother, who was very handsome, is sta...
Lady Elizabeth or Betty Germain (1680-1769), "was second daughter of Charles, second earl of Berkeley. The Duchess of Marlborough wrote of her in 1738 that 'notwithstanding the great pride of the Berk...

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. 4 However, in Canada, the name Germain is ranked the 557^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,773 people with that name. 5 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Germain is the 228^th popular surname. 6 France ranks Germain as 172^nd with 19,557 people. 7

Migration of the Germain family to Ireland

Some of the Germain family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Germain migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Germain or a variant listed above were:

Germain Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jean Germain, aged 35, who landed in New York in 1642 8

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 8
Magdelaine Germain, who landed in Maryland in 1763 8
Marie Germain, who arrived in Maryland in 1763 8
... (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 8
W F Germain, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 8
R Germain, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1855 8
Joseph N Germain, who arrived in Colorado in 1893 8
Debon Germain, who arrived in Arkansas in 1893 8

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 9
Henry Germain, son of Robert and Marie, who married Geneviève Marcot, daughter of Jacques and Élisabeth, in Cap-Santé, Quebec on 26th August 1698 9
Jean Germain, son of Jean and Renée, who married Catherine Baribault, daughter of François and Périnne, in Batiscan, Quebec on 9th September 1698 9

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 9
François Germain, son of Georges and Angélique, who married Marie-Anne Perrin, daughter of Mathieu and Jeanne, in Montreal, Quebec on 14th June 1716 9
Pierre Germain, son of Pierre and Anne, who married Catherine Houré, daughter of Gilles and Marie, in Lorette, Quebec on 7th January 1728 9
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 9
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 9
... (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 10
Benjamin Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 10
Samuel Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 10
Charles George Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 11
Sarah Ann Germain, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 11
... (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) 12
Brigadier-General Georges-Louis Germain (1877-1954), French General Officer Commander in Chief French Somaliland (1940) 13
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 +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"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