Surname Hourie - Meaning and Origin
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Hourie: What does the surname Hourie mean?
The last name HOURIE is derived from the Old French “houre,” meaning watchman or sentinel. It is believed that the surname was introduced to Britain by the Normans and was originally used to describe someone who stood guard at the gates of a city or castle.
Variations of the surname include Houry, Hourin, Hourigan, Horie, Horin, and Horrigan. It is likely that many of these were adopted when immigrant families moved to different countries and regions, where the name assumed local sounds and spellings.
The Hourie surname is commonly found in England, Scotland, Ireland, and other parts of the British Isles. It is also common in coastal areas where sentinels were needed to keep watch over ports and shoreline.
In some cases, the Hourie surname has also been associated with locations or places, such as the towns of Hourin in Dorset and Horrigan in Somerset. It is also beleived that Hourie may have derived from the Gaelic surname O’ hEoraidh, meaning descendant of Eoraidh.
Over time, HOURIE has become a multifaceted surname representing the rich history and varied origins of its bearers. The modern Hourie surname is indicative of a wide range of cultural and geographic backgrounds and has become an important part of numerous family histories around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHourie: Where does the name Hourie come from?
The surname HOURIE is a French-language name that is found mainly in French-speaking regions around the world. It can be found in multiple countries, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and even North Africa.
In France, the surname is most commonly found in the north-eastern regions and in the area of Brittany. In Belgium it is one of the most common surnames in the Flemish region. In Switzerland it is featured in the western and south-western regions of the country. In Canada it is most prominently seen in the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. Finally, it is fairly common in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco where many French settlers came from.
With the dispersal of French settlers throughout the world in the past centuries, HOURIE can also been found in other countries like the United States, Argentina, and Australia. However, the estimated frequency of the surname in these countries is much less than in those mentioned before.
Furthermore, this surname is quite rare in most countries compared to its French and Belgian neighbors. According to the 1990 US census, around 2,500 people with this surname lived there. In Australia, the 2016 census showed that only 678 individuals with this surname live there.
Variations of the surname Hourie
The common spelling variants for the surname HOURIE are HOURIES, HOURIS, HOURYS, HOWRYES, HOWRYIS, HURIE, HURY and HURYS.
It is likely that the name HOURIE is an anglicised form of the Gaelic patronymic surname ‘O hEuraidhe,’ deriving from the given name ‘Euraidhe’, which is a diminutive of the Gaelic ‘Eachraidh’. This was an Old Gaelic name meaning ‘horseman’. Some may also have the surname as an anglicised version of its common form ‘Mac Iomhair,’ which is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic ‘Iomhair’, meaning ‘yew-man’. The translation of the name is thus ‘son of the yew-man’.
The Scottish names surrounding HOURIE are HOURIE, HURRIE, HOWRYE, and HORE. In England, variants of the name include HAWRIE, HOREY, HOWREY, HARIE, and HARI. In Ireland, variants of the surname include HOURY, HOWRY, HOWRIE, and HOWREE.
There are a few less common surnames that are related to HOURIE including HURAWA, HOWRIGAN, and HOWRAY. The surname HURAWA is believed to be of Indigenous Australian origin, originating from either an Aboriginal word meaning ‘stout’ or from a persons name. Howrigan is believed to be of a Gaelic origin, while HOWRAY or HOURY are believed to be of a Scottish origin.
In conclusion, HOURIE is a surname of ancient origins, with many derivatives used in different countries and regions. It is likely that it originated from Gaelic, Scottish, Aboriginal, or Irish roots.
Famous people with the name Hourie
- Nelson Hourieb: Angolan footballer and former captain of the national team.
- Nathalie Hourieb: French professional tennis player.
- Robert Houriette: French painter and sculptor.
- Claude Houriet: French politician and former minister.
- Chris Hourihan: Canadian singer-songwriter.
- Robert Houriet: American filmmaker.
- Iain Hourihane: Irish footballer.
- Hal Houriet: American baseball executive and former owner of the Texas Rangers.
- Gerard Houriet: French cinematographer, noted for his work on films such as “Downfall”.
- Alexander Houriet: Swiss architect and type designer.