Surname Comeau - Meaning and Origin

Comeau: What does the surname Comeau mean?

The last name Comeau originates from a French name that is derived from either the Latin personal name ‘Comes’ or from ‘com’ which means ‘valley’. The Irish version of the surname is Comer, which derives from ‘cuimre’, which means ‘valley’. The origins of the surname can be traced back to the ancient regions of Brittany and Normandy in France and County Cork in Ireland.

Early records of this surname date back to the year 1050 when the French knight Sir Richard Comer was recorded, and in 1202 in Ireland where the Comer family was recorded in County Cork. The surname spread to England, Scotland, and Wales, and also to other countries via emigration.

Today the surname is still relatively common in most of Europe, and especially in countries around the Brittany region of France, where many of the original Comeau families settled over a thousand years ago. It’s also used in many countries around the world due to emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries.

To summarise, Comeau is a French, Irish, and British surname, which is originally derived from the Latin word ‘comes’, or from ‘com’ meaning ‘valley’. It has historical roots in France, Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales, and has spread across the world with emigration.

Comeau: Where does the name Comeau come from?

The surname Comeau is most commonly associated with several areas where Francophone populations have settled historically. The Comeau surname is most popular in Canada, where over 23,000 people share the name. In particular, the Maritime region of Canada is an area where the Comeau name is most strongly associated and where it is most heavily concentrated. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are two provinces with large concentrations of Comeau's.

Outside of Canada, the surname is quite rare. France has the second highest number of Comeau's living there, although it is still a relatively small population compared to Canada. The United States has a small frequency of Comeau's with less than 900 individuals living there. The last few hundred years has seen the name being spread all over Europe, although in small numbers, so it is no surprise that in the modern day it is more commonly associated with the Americas and not with its European origins. Despite this, the presence of the Comeau name is still found in low numbers in multiple areas of Europe, with a few hundred individuals found in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Overall, the Comeau surname is most strongly linked to Canada, particularly Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Despite the presence of small clusters of individuals bearing this name found in parts of Europe, it is generally seen as a more common name in the Americas than it is anywhere else globally.

Variations of the surname Comeau

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Comeau are Como, Comer, Combleau, Comerford, Comero, Commeau, Commo, Comoau, Coomes, and Compteau.

The surname Comeau has French and Acadian origins and is derived from the word “comeau” meaning a young pine tree. The surname was first found in the province of Brittany, France, but during the Grand Dérangement of 1755, Acadians bearing this name were relocated to Canada.

The various spellings of Comeau includes Como, Comer, Combleau, Comerford, Comero, Commeau, Commo, Comoau, Coomes, and Compteau. The spelling ones today may differ from those who settled in Canada, as due to the lack of communication and record keeping, these surnames were changed and became interchangeable over time.

Comeau is an especially common surname in the Canadian province of Quebec. Como is one of the more numerous spellings among people of French origin living in the southern United States, especially Louisiana. These states are also home to several other Comeau related surnames such as Comer, Comerford, Compteau, and Coomes.

In some cases, the surname may have been altered to Comoau or some variant. In France, the name Comeau is most commonly found in the province of Brittany. The surname Commeau is also found in France, primarily in the departments of Seine-et-Marne and Loir-et-Cher.

This surname is also used in other parts of the world outside of North America and France such as Ireland, England, Scotland, Belgium, Australia, and Argentina. All of these countries and many more are home to people with an origin of the Comeau name.

Famous people with the name Comeau

• Roberto Comeau: Roberto is an award-winning film editor who has worked with some of Hollywood's most prestigious directors. He won an Emmy Award for his work on the mini-series Angels in America.
• Alex Comeau: Alex is a professional ice hockey player and former captain for the Calgary Flames.
• Brian Comeau: Brian is a Canadian motocross racer who has competed on various championships circuits and won multiple awards.
• Jane Comeau: Jane is a Canadian singer-songwriter and Juno-award winner.
• Robert Comeau: Robert is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
• Lena Headey: Lena is an award-winning English actress known for playing Cersei Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones. Her middle name is Comeau.
• Kelly Comeau: Kelly is a Canadian broadcaster and voice actor.
• David Comeau: David is a Canadian former professional baseball player.
• Pierre Comeau: Pierre is a former Member of the Quebec National Assembly and a renowned Canadian social activist.
• Denis Comeau: Denis is a Canadian politician and lawyer who represented the riding of Saint-Laurent in the legislative assembly of Quebec.

Other surnames

ComeaultComeaux