Surname St. Jean - Meaning and Origin

St. Jean: What does the surname St. Jean mean?

St. Jean is a French surname that directly translates to "Saint John" in English. This last name originated from a Christian personal name (from Biblical John known as John the Baptist or one of other saints named John) and was widely adopted in honor of various saints. It was often prefixed by “Saint” which in French is “Saint” for men and “Sainte” for women. Some people were named this way because they were born or baptized on Saint John's Day, or because they lived near a church or shrine dedicated to a saint by that name. Hence, last name St. Jean signifies religious and regional heritage/imprint of French-speaking countries. As with many surnames, variations of St. Jean also exist, such as St. John, Saint Jean, or even just Jean, depending on the area of origin. Please note that origins and meanings of surnames can have numerous interpretations and St. Jean is no exception. It might bear different connotations in different cultures, regions, or periods.

St. Jean: Where does the name St. Jean come from?

The Saint Jean surname is most commonly found in France, where it is a variant of the much older and more familiar name Jean (or John). It is also found in Quebec, Canada, a former French colony, where the name is often seen as Sainte-Jean, a fusion of two French words for Saint and John.

The French surname Saint Jean carries a long and distinguished history, as it was the name of a royal house of nobility during the Middle Ages. At the time the name was associated with nobility and was an honor bestowed upon members of the royal family. The name is also closely linked to medieval French monastic and religious communities, for whom it was a rare opportunity to be associated with such a distinguished family. As a result of its royal origins, the Saint Jean surname is still a popular choice among many French families.

The Saint Jean surname is also found in Puerto Rico, where it is often used by families of Spanish descent as a second last name. In some cases, it also doubles as a first name or as a middle name.

Over centuries, the Saint Jean surname has been spread across Europe, with its popularity peaking in France and Canada. Today, the name is found around the world and is a popular choice for those with French or Spanish descent.

Variations of the surname St. Jean

The surname St. Jean is derived from French and is also known as Saint John or San Juan. It can also be spelled as Saint Jean, St Jean, St-Jean, Saint-Jean, Saint Jeans, Steveneen, San Juan, and Sain Jean.

Variants of St. Jean that are commonly found include John, Jean, Jeans, Jeannet, Jeannot, Jeanson, Janson, Johns, Jeanes, Johanson, Johnson, Jonas, Jonet, Janes, Evens, Janse, Juen, Jeangowski, Jeanneret, Jeanty, Jean-Baptiste, and Jean Baptiste.

Variations by spelling are also seen, such as St.John, St.Johns, St.Jon, St.Jones, St.Jonet, St.Juen, St.Juens, and Saint-Juan.

The name can also be found in other languages with various spellings, such as Jan in Dutch, Ivan in Russian, and Juan in Spanish and Italian. It can further be Anglicized as Shawn, Sean, Shon, or Siegh in German.

In some cases, people with the surname St. Jean may have adopted the hyphenated or combined variants similarly seen in other cultures, such as Bando-San Juan, McGowan-Jun, Botero-Juan, and LaFarge-Jean.

Lastly, St. Jean may be used to build patronymic surnames, such as Jeanon, Jeansonne, Jeansot, Jounes, Junerie, and Jeanus.

Famous people with the name St. Jean

• Jean Bouin St. Jean: a French long-distance runner who won several major competitions between 1910 and 1913, including the 1912 Olympic Games marathon.
• Pierre de Saint-Jean: a French painter and engraver from the 17th century, best known for his works depicting figures from classical mythology.
• Paul St. Jean: an American songwriter and television composer who penned the score for programs such as Family Ties and Hill Street Blues.
• Theodor St. Jean: a German painter who trained under the great Caspar David Friedrich in Dresden and was known for his Romantic landscape paintings.
• Louis de Saint-Jean: a French physician and professor who co-founded the International Society of Medical Research in the late 19th century.
• Robert St-Jean: a Canadian ice hockey player who played for several teams in the National Hockey League in the early 20th century.
• Anakwa St. Jean: an American actress and singer who has appeared in television shows such as Girlfriends and The Bold and the Beautiful.
• David St-Jean: a French-Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter known for his films The Edible Life and Assistance.
• Alexandre St-Jean: a French composer who wrote the music for several silent films in the early 20th century, including Maciste Trapped in the Sea.
• Charles Jean-Baptiste St. Jean: a Haitian cleric and Cardinal in the late 19th century who served as the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince.

Other surnames

St. Jeor