Surname Fauconnier - Meaning and Origin
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Fauconnier: What does the surname Fauconnier mean?
The last name Fauconnier is a French surname deriving from the word faucon, which means "falcon". The name is said to have first been adopted by someone who either owned or worked with falcons, which could have been either hunting or falconry. Alternatively, the name could have been given to someone with the characteristics of a falcon, such as swiftness and strength.
Over the centuries, the name Fauconnier has spread to other parts of Europe such as Germany and the Netherlands, but is most common throughout France, where the surname originated. The variations and dialectal spelling of the name have changed over the centuries, with spellings in Germany and the Netherlands including Faukonier, Faukonnier and Fauconier.
The current bearer of the name is likely to be descended from noble families in the Middle Ages, who adopted the name for its royal associations. However, since the Revolution of 1789, Fauconnier is no longer associated with nobility, and the name is now commonly found among French people of all classes.
Today, the surname is a reminder of the French Revolution and the changes it brought about in France and her colonies. As it is still widely used around the world, it serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping alive the values of that epoch, such as liberty, equality and fraternity.
Order DNA origin analysisFauconnier: Where does the name Fauconnier come from?
The surname Fauconnier is most commonly found in France, where it originates from. In France, it is most often found in the regions of Alsace, Lorraine and Brittany, as well as in Paris. It is also present in Belgium, primarily in Brussels.
Beyond those countries, the surname Fauconnier appears most prevalently in the United States. Fauconnier immigrants from France first arrived in America during the eighteenth century and initially settled in Louisiana, eventually spreading north to New England and Pennsylvania. Today, the Fauconnier name is found along the East Coast, in states such as New York, Massachusetts and Florida, as well as in California and the Midwest.
Outside of Europe and the United States, Fauconnier is also present in some parts of Latin America, such as Brazil, and some Caribbean islands, primarily Haiti, where French was once widely spoken.
In total, the name Fauconnier currently has a worldwide population count of nearly 40,000 individuals.
Variations of the surname Fauconnier
The surname Fauconnier has its roots in Old French, where it was derived from the word ‘faucon’, meaning ‘falconer’. It was also sometimes written in the feminine plural form, with ‘fauconniers’. Over the centuries, different branches of the family added variants of their surname depending on their geographical region, among them Fauconier, Fauquier, Faulconer, Faulconier, Falconar, Falconer and Falconier. The variations can also be found in different languages, for example, Fausshner in German and Fauconnet in Occitan France. Initially, the surname was only used to denote a person who hunts with falcons, but over time, it has come to represent a noble family. It has also been Anglicized to Faulkner and Faulknair.
Throughout history there have been prominent figures of the Fauconnier surname, such as French writer, educator and statesman François Fauconnier; Lucas Fauconnier, a Belgian painter, sculptor and engraver; French high jumper Françoise Fauconnet; Belgian fighter pilot Constantin Fauconnier; French classical violinist Luc Fauconnet; and Belgian film director Gérard Fauconnet. From the US, there is drag racing champion Peter Fauconer, and from the UK, actress Katie Faucher.
Today, the surname continues to be carried by people from different backgrounds and regions. It has also generated other spellings and surnames, some similar and some distinct. Its variants make up an interesting part of genealogical research, as there is a chance to trace the same family tree over centuries, if one takes the time to look at all the possible spellings.
-Fauconier
-Fauquier
-Faulconer
-Faulconier
-Fausshner
-Faussner
-Fauconnets
-Falconar
-Falconer
-Falconier
-Faulkner
-Faulknair
-Fauconnet
-Faucher
-Fauconnnet
Famous people with the name Fauconnier
- Grégory Fauconnier: An actor from France who has appeared in films such as C'est pas moi, c'est lui (2003), Coco and had a recurring role in the French television series Femme Nikita (2001-2002).
- Emilie Fauconnier: A French professional volleyball player who was part of the France women’s national volleyball team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Gilbert Fauconnier: A French writer, best known for his novel On Off (1989), which won the Prix Goncourt in 1997, and for co-authoring the book Mental Spaces (1994).
- Marc Fauconnier: A Belgian astrophysicist, professor emeritus at UCLouvain and former director of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB), whose main interests have been in Stellar Physics, especially in the study of binary stars.
- Francis Fauconnier: A French professional road bicycle racer, who won many sporting awards including a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2001 and Tour de Luxembourg in 1998.
- Jacques Fauconnier: An engineer from France, who designed and developed the Simca 8, a car manufactured by Simca between 1955 and 1961, and took part in the development of the Simca 1100.
- Rémi Fauconnier: A French footbaler, currently playing for Girondins de Bordeaux in the French Ligue 1, who has played for various clubs throughout his career such as EA Guingamp, FC Lorient, and Tours FC.
- Kirby Fauconnier: A French footballer, currently playing for Red Star-Amiénois, who played as a right back and has previous experience in the French Championnat National 16 and Equipe de France U-19.