Surname de la Porte - Meaning and Origin

de la Porte: What does the surname de la Porte mean?

The last name de la Porte is a French surname with several possible meanings. It can be translated as "of the door," hinting at a history of families serving as doorkeepers, or the name can simply reference someone who lived near a gate, wall, or portal. In some cases, the name may have been taken on by people who lived in a house with a special, ornate door.

The de la Porte family may have been descended from the seigneurs of La Porte du Plessis, also known as the lords of La Porte, who were spread across the French region of Normandy in the 12th-century. It is likely that many members of this family adopted the name after that time, though the exact origins of the surname are unknown.

Usually, de la Porte was used to refer to the senior branch of the family, while those of lower stature used other variations such as de la Porta, De Pertuis, La Porta, and Porr, an ancient dialectical form of the original French. The surname could also be augmented by the addition of a place-name, such as de la Porte de Blois.

Whatever the origin of the name, the de la Porte family has been highly influential throughout French history, particularly during the French Revolution when several members of the family occupied important administrative posts. Other notable figures from this line include Andrea de La Porte, a famous 17th-century French court painter, and Louis de la Porte, a French marshal who served under Louis XIV.

de la Porte: Where does the name de la Porte come from?

The last name de la Porte is commonly found in many countries today, notably in France, Canada, and the United States.

In France, de la Porte is most notably associated with the Brittany region, where many of the descendants of Gummarus de la Porte, a 16th-century bishop of Vannes, remain. Gummarus de la Porte's family has been traced back to the 14th century, originally hailing from the town of La Porte, France.

In Canada, de la Porte is an uncommon but not rare surname often found in the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, where it is likely descended from settlers from France.

In the United States, the last name de la Porte is an uncommon but growing name. Records indicate it has been present since the mid-19th century. Notably, prominent American businesswoman Alexandra de la Porte, who founded the health-tech company VisuWell, is a prominent member of the de la Porte family.

Overall, de la Porte is a surname that can nowadays be found throughout many different countries, particularly in its ancestral homeland of France.

Variations of the surname de la Porte

De la Porte is a surname of French origin whose literal meaning is "of the door". Its variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin are as follows:

Delaporte

Delporte

Da LaPorte

DelaPort

Delaport

Dalaport

DalaPorte

Delaporte

DelaPorte

DeLaport

LaPorte

Laport

De LaPort

De la Port

Delaporte

DelPorte

D'LaPorte

Dal Port

Dala Port

It is also seen in some variations and derivations in other languages such as la Porta in Italian, la Porte in Spanish or Port in German.

The surname De la Porte is quite common in France and is thought to have been derived from toponymic names. People who lived near a particular door or gate in a city or village took this name as a marker of their home. Alternatively, it may have been used to refer to someone who was a doorkeeper or lockkeeper since the name literally means “from the door”.

The surname can also be traced to many parts of Europe and North America such as Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States.

In addition, LaPorte is an especially common spelling of the surname among French Canadians. This variation is seen particularly in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.

Famous people with the name de la Porte

• Count Charles de la Porte d'Auteuil (1829–1895), French cavalry commander
• Jeffrey DeLaPorte, American opera singer
• Jerome de la Porte (1808–1863), French Army Officer
• Roberto de la Porte (1697–1753), Spanish diplomat in the court of the Austrian Habsburgs
• Thierry de La Porte (born 1957), Belgian-born entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Monique De La Porte (1930-2014), former Miss Curaçao
• Jean de La Porte (1566-1641), French Baroque organist
• Michael de la Porte (1893-1937), journalist and submariner, recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross
• Anne de La Porte, 8th Marquise de La Fayette (1759-1810), French noblewoman
• Edmée de La Porte (died 1876), Duchess of Richelieu, French courtier and noblewoman

Other surnames

de la Poher