Homme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Homme

What does the name Homme mean?

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of notable family names, including that of the distinguished Homme family. Originally, the people in this region went by one (personal) name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. These names then began to become "fixed" or hereditary between the generations. One of the types of names adopted as surnames were those derived from nicknames. Nicknames, or "eke-names," were an added name that generally reflected some physical characteristics or other attribute of the person that used the name. The Homme surname derives from the Old French "prud’homme" meaning a "wise," or "sensible" man; and as such was a nickname for an honest, or wise man.

Early Origins of the Homme family

The surname Homme was first found in Guyenne in the south-west of France where they held a family seat in the seigneurie of St.-Maur, and were members of the aristocracy of that region for many centuries.

By the 14th century they had moved north to Maine and Normandy and in the latter region where seated in Boussinière. They also moved west into Brittany where they held a family seat at Papinière. They also branched to Liège and Lorraine. Meanwhile, in the main seat in Guyenne they were elected to the nobility as Viscounts, and the family were a great influence in the cultural affairs of south-western France. Pierre Prudhon was a notable French painter, 1758-1823.

Louis Prud'homme, born in 1608, son of Claude and Isabelle, was a French brewer that travelled from île-de-Frane to Canada in 1636. After arriving in the province of Quebec he married Roberte Gadois, born in 1626, daughter of Pierre and Louise, at Montreal on 30th November 1650. When Louis and Roberte married the governor of Montreal made a concession of thirty acres of land. They remained in Quebec together until Louis passed away on 2nd July 1671. 1

Early History of the Homme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Homme research. The years 1758 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Homme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Homme Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Prudhom, Prudhomm, Prudhomme, Prud'Homme, Prud'homme, Prud'hommeau, Prud'home, Prudhon, Prud'hon, Prud'Hommeau, Prudhommeaux, Prud'Hommeaux, Prudham, Pridham, Predham, Predhamm and many more.

Early Notables of the Homme family

Viscount Prud'Homme of Guyenne

Homme migration to the United States +

Homme Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Don Charles Homme, who arrived in Louisiana in 1805-1809 2

Homme migration to Canada +

Homme Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Ronie Homme, son of Michel and Marie-Barbe, who married Marie Drouet, daughter of Mathruin and Marie-Louise, in Montreal, Quebec on 5th July 1684 3

Homme Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Miss Tora Homme, Norwegian settler who sailed aboard the ship "Stavangerfjord" arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1951

Sources +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
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.