Surname Plantard - Meaning and Origin
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Plantard: What does the surname Plantard mean?
Plantard is a French surname that is derived from the Old French word "plantart". This word means cultivator or gardener, indicating that the original bearer of the name likely worked in such a role. The surname could also potentially signify land worked by a medieval peasant. The name Plantard has occasionally been associated with a certain level of notoriety, partly due to Pierre Plantard, who involved the name in a complex hoax pertaining to the supposed secret society known as the Priory of Sion during the mid-20th century. This association, however, does not have any bearing on the historical or etymological significance of the name itself.
Order DNA origin analysisPlantard: Where does the name Plantard come from?
The last name Plantard is mainly found among French-speaking populations. The surname is believed to be derived from the French word “plant,” which means shrub or small tree, and “ard,” which is an old French word meaning “true” or “genuine.” In other words, a Plantard is someone who who was originally a small-scale landowner or peasant farmer who cultivated the land.
Today, Plantard is most common in France, where it ranks as the 2,300th most common surname. It is also found in some regions of Canada, primarily in Quebec where it is the 1,800th most popular surname. It is also found in Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and parts of the United States, particularly in Louisiana where it is the 4,091st most popular surname. Plantard is considered a noble family name in France, and there has been a historic French lineage named the Plantard family.
Plantard was also the surname of Pierre Plantard, a twentieth-century French claimant to the French throne who founded the Priory of Sions in 1956. This organization, of which Pierre Plantard was the Grand Master, proposed a theory popularly known as the Holy Bloodline. This theory, which was popularized in the 1982 book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, suggests that the Plantard bloodline is in fact descended from the Merovingians and the Merovingian dynasty. Its legacy continues to this day.
Variations of the surname Plantard
The Plantard surname has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of the most common variations include Plantard, Planterd, Plantet, Plante, Plantar, Planteret, Plantarat, Planterette, Plantardet, Plantain, Plantier, Planteur, Plantain, Plantat, Planters, Planté, Planton, Plantier, Plantat, Plantie, Plantre, Planters, Plande, and Plantel.
The surname originates from the Latin word “plantarius”, which means gardener. The early Plantards were farmers and gardeners and may have been descended from a medieval guild of gardeners, or from people who lived on a plantation. The Latin root “planum”, meaning a flat land, is also the origin of the surname. The variants and spellings of the name may have arisen throughout history as the language and spelling of the name evolved over time.
The Spanish version of the surname, Plantera, is derived from the French language and is also found in Latin America, where the Plantard family has ancestors. The German version of the name, Planter, has a variety of possible origins, including the Old High German “plantero”, which means to cultivate the ground. The Italian version, Plante, is also derived from the Latin root “planus” and has been found in Italy since the 13th century.
Throughout history, many Plantards have changed their name to reflect their changing origins, making it difficult to link the Plantard name with one language or region. It is, however, found in several countries around the world, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Famous people with the name Plantard
- Pierre Plantard: Pierre Plantard was a French draughtsman, writer, and political activist from the early 20th century. He was an active member of several secret societies, including the Priory of Sion and the Compagnie du Saint-Graal. He is most famously known for inventing the pseudohistorical Priest-Kings of Sion and promoting it as a credible theory.
- Jean-Luc Plantard: Jean-Luc Plantard is a French attorney and politician. He is the leader of the nationalist political party, the National Front, which he founded in 1998. Plantard is also a political commentator on French television and radio.
- Arnauld de Saint-Marceaux Plantard: Arnauld de Saint-Marceaux Plantard was a French historian and professor, who specialized in the history of the Crusades. He is best known for his book The Crusade of St. Louis (1975).
- Philippe Plantard de Saint-Claire: Philippe Plantard de Saint-Claire was a French aristocrat, the tenth Duke of Châteaubriant. He was a noted collector of rare manuscripts and was known for his strong support of the restoration of the monarchy in the 19th century.
- Marie de Saint-Clair Plantard: Marie de Saint-Clair Plantard was a French countess and the daughter of Philippe de Saint-Clair Plantard. She was known for her support of philanthropic causes, such as the war on poverty and the emancipation of women, throughout her life.
- Antoine Plantard: Antoine Plantard was a French journalist, author, and film director in the mid-20th century. He wrote several books, including The Middle Ages (1970) and A History of French Cinema (1955). He was the first person to bring international acclaim to French cinema and is considered a pioneer in the field.