Surname Bonnaire - Meaning and Origin
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Bonnaire: What does the surname Bonnaire mean?
The last name Bonnaire is of French origin and has a long and illustrious history. It is believed to have originated in the region of Loira Valley in France. The root of the name is derived from the French word “bon” which means “good”. This would provide a clue as to why this last name has maintained its popularity throughout the years.
From the perspective of the etymological background it is possible to conclude that the ancestral line of the Bonnaire family may have been remarkable for its virtues, with members of the family possessing qualities like kindness, generosity and a positive attitude to life. This would explain why the name was commonly found in various parts of France during the medieval period.
Later on, the Bonnaire family developed into a powerful noble house in France, enjoying considerable privileges under the Ancien Régime due to its major contribution to the affairs of the French nation. The name has remained popular down the centuries and today many of the modern members of the Bonnaire family proudly carry the proud legacy of their ancestors.
Order DNA origin analysisBonnaire: Where does the name Bonnaire come from?
The last name Bonnaire is most commonly found in France. According to the Centre des noms de famille, a French database which studies the frequency and spread of French last names, the last name Bonnaire is present in all but one area of France and is most concentrated in the region of Limousin (23% of all Bonnaire's) and Ile-de-France (17% of all Bonnaire's).
In addition to France, the last name Bonnaire can also be found in Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada. In Belgium the name is particularly common in the Walloon Region where the last name Bonnaire is found in almost 2% of the general population. In Switzerland, the last name is also found in large numbers with 8% of the population having the surname.
In terms of the United States, the name is not very common. According to data from the 2000 United States Census, the last name Bonnaire was present in only 0.001% of the population. So while the last name may still be present in the United States, it is far more prevalent in countries such as France and Belgium.
Variations of the surname Bonnaire
The surname Bonnaire is derived from the French word "bonaire" meaning good or pleasant. This surname is found in both France and parts of Belgium and is derived from a number of similar-sounding words including bonair, bonaire, bonairre, bonairer, bonay, boneire, boneir, bonerre, bonery, bonniere, bonnire, and bonnyre. It is also found in various spellings ranging from Bonaire to Bonarie, and occasionally in combinations such as De Bonnaire.
In many cases, families with the surname Bonnaire have chosen to anglicize their names to Bonnar or Bonner. The name is also subject to change further by dialect and geography.
In France, the name Bonnaire may also take the form of the slightly longer vowels Bonay and Boneire. These forms are found in various locations in the south of France. In Belgium, a popular spelling variation is Bonniere, found in the Flemish province of West Flanders.
Other spellings of the surname Bonnaire include Boneir, Bonerre, Bonery, and Bonnyre. All of these versions are rooted in the original French form of the name, and can be found in various parts of the world.
The name Bonnaire also has its own derivatives in some European countries. For instance, the cognates of "bonaire" in German are Bonnair, Bongair, and Bernger; in Spanish they are Bonar, Booneiro, and Bonerio; and in Italian the equivalents are Bonaire, Bonall, and Bonitte.
Finally, there are also some minor surnames that may be derived from Bonnaire, including Bonnaje, Bonnalle, Bonnars, and Bounner.
In conclusion, the surname Bonnaire can take many different forms, spellings, and variants, depending on where a family hails from and its individual history.
Famous people with the name Bonnaire
- Sandrine Bonnaire: A French actress, film director and presenter best known for her roles in Vagabond, La Cérémonie and À Nos Amours.
- Faustin Bonnaire: A Senegalese wrestler who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics, winning the silver medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 74 kg class.
- Yves Bonnaire: A French painter and sculptor. He is mainly known for his work in the cubist style, inspired by Pablo Picasso.
- Yves Bonnaire: A hockey player who represented France at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
- Bruno Bonnaire: A French actor, most recently acting in a number of popular television series such as Les Témoins and Fais Pas Ci Fais Pas Ca.
- Alfred Bonnaire, also known as Alfred Bonnaire-Vidal: A French glass painter and master glassmaker in the leaded glass techniques, who created many significant stained-glass windows in churches and civil buildings throughout Europe.
- Joseph Catarina Bonnaire: An Italian engraver and medalist who worked in Rome mostly in the 18th century.
- Jules Bonnaire: A French sculptor and medalist, whose works reside in many of the museums of France, especially in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice.