Surname Gennette - Meaning and Origin

Gennette: What does the surname Gennette mean?

The last name Gennette is of French origin, derived from the given name Genet or Janette. These given names, in turn, are likely derived from the Latin Januarius, which means "born in January". This indicates a connection to the ancient Roman god Janus, the guardian of doorways, beginnings, and endings.

Historically, many people adopted last names referring to place-names or features of the landscape, and Gennette could be one such example. In the Middle Ages, Genneville was the name of a village near to Evreux in northern France. This village was also the site of a prominent castle, founded in the 11th century by the lord of the manor, a Norman knight. As such, it is plausible that over time, some of the residents of the village adopted the surname Gennette, in reference to their home.

Other families may have adopted the name Gennette as a way to distinguish themselves from other families with a similar surname, or to commemorate a birthplace. As such, today the last name Gennette is found in various parts of France, and is even found in other countries like Canada, the United States, and Argentina.

No matter the reason, the surname Gennette is certainly a proud testament to centuries-old French roots and culture.

Gennette: Where does the name Gennette come from?

The last name Gennette appears to be most commonly associated with France, particularly the region of Artois in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais department. In the 19th century, this region was the predominant area of France in which Gennette families were found. Today, Gennette is still most prevalent in France. According to the French last name database Metronyme, the surname Gennette is the three thousand forty-seventh most common name in France today. Other countries where there are still families bearing the surname Gennette include Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Algeria, Haiti, Senegal, Paraguay, and Chile.

It is possible that Gennette is a variant spelling of the French names Gannet, Gennet, or Ganne. All three of these names have been found in the region of Artois, so it is likely that the Gennette family comes from this area. The Gennet name is said to derive from the Latin word "genna," which means festivity or joyous event. This suggests that the Gennette surname may have ties to a family of revelers.

Due to the prevalence of the name in Europe, it is likely that the Gennette surname has descended from a French family. However, the origin of the name has yet to be conclusively determined.

Variations of the surname Gennette

The surname Gennette is of French origin and is thought to have derived from the personal name Jehan. Variants of this surname include Genie, Jenet, Jennet, Jonet, Jannet, Jonette, and Janett. Early notable bearers of the name include Jehan Genie, a French knight from the 15th century who was mentioned in the Journal of Philippe de Commynes.

Spelling variants of the surname Gennette can include Jeanette, Jenette, Jenete, Genette, Geniette, Guanet, Jeannet and Jeanet, among others. In some cases, the spelling of the surname has been altered through the years due to scribes and church officials having difficulty in spelling the name correctly.

In some areas of the world, the surname Gennette has been assimilated to similar-sounding names, resulting in surnames such as Gennet, Jennet, Jeanet, and Gennet. In Scotland, the surname has also been given a Gaelic spelling of ‘Mac Iomhar’ or ‘Mac Uilleim’.

The surname Gennette has numerous other variant spellings, including: Jannett, Donnais, Guidone, Genne, Gennez, Genneux, Gennoit,genner, and Gouin. Other related surnames include Geneau, Guenette, Jean, Jenot, Genelin, Genest, Genault, and Jean-Bernard.

Famous people with the name Gennette

• Amy Gennette Padilla: an actress and producer best known for her role in the series "Major Crimes".
• Josée Gennette: a successful Canadian soccer goalie who played in the Olympics, the Pan American Games, and the World Cup.
• Ryan Gennette: an American professional lacrosse player for the North Carolina Backsliders in the Premier Lacrosse League.
• Lloyd Gennette: a professional actor and chief resident chorus master of the State Theatre in Saarbrucken, Germany.
• Luciano Gennette: a Chilean soccer coach who has managed various international soccer teams such as El Salvador and Colombia.
• Hank Gennette: an American actor and director, best known for his work on The Brady Bunch and Cheers.
• Diana LaGennette: a veteran of the U.S. Navy and an advocate for women veterans.
• Sam Gennette: a former baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Cleveland.
• Abderahmane Gennette: a French basketball player and coach who has led several teams to success in the Pro A League.
• Joshua Gennette: the executive director of the World Organisation of Systems and Cybernetics and a lecturer in computer science.

Other surnames

Gennett