Surname Langevin - Meaning and Origin

Langevin: What does the surname Langevin mean?

The last name Langevin is of French origin, derived from a nickname meaning “the long”, used to describe an individual who was tall in stature. The name is associated with a prominent French-Canadian family that traces its roots to the French province of Normandy. It was later recorded as Langevin in Quebec in the mid-18th century.

The Langevin family has left a rich legacy in both France and Canada. In France, the family was prominent in the province of Normandy, and members of the family served in the French military. In Canada, the Langevins were important figures in Quebec during the formative years of Canada.

The most well-known member of the Langevin family is undoubtedly Sir Hector-Louis Langevin (1826-1906), a major political figure in 19th-century Canada. Sir Hector-Louis Langevin served in the governments of two of Canada's first Prime Ministers, Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Alexander Mackenzie. He was highly influential in the development of Canadian Confederation, as well as being an important architect of the National Policy, which was a protectionist economic policy that underpinned Canada's Industrial Revolution. He was also the founder of the federal government's Department of Public Works. Following his death, Sir Hector-Louis Langevin was highly honoured in Canada, and his name has been preserved in many artifacts; a street and two bridges in Ottawa are named after him, and his portrait appears on the Canadian 10-dollar bill.

The Langevin name will always be associated with the formative years of Canadian nationhood and is sure to remain a part of Canadian history for many generations to come.

Langevin: Where does the name Langevin come from?

The last name Langevin is most commonly found in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario in Canada. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Langevin surname is quite common in the eastern parts of the province and is one of the more widely spread surnames in that region.

In Quebec, the Langevin surname is found most commonly around the Montreal and Trois-Rivieres region. It is believed to first appear in the province in the mid-1700s. In Ontario, the Langevin name is not as common as in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. The name is concentrated mostly in the east central and northeastern parts of the province.

According to the 2019 Canadian census, there were 17,163 people with the last name Langevin in Canada, with the highest concentration in Quebec (6,876), followed by Newfoundland and Labrador (4,716), and Ontario (2,937). Some of the families with this last name can also be traced to the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, although the numbers of people with this name in those countries is much smaller.

Variations of the surname Langevin

Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Langevin include Langévin, Laungévin, Longevin, Langévain, Languevin, Laungevan, Laungevin, Longevan, Languevin and Laungevain. It is common for surnames to have several variant spellings and related surnames due to regional phonetic differences, spelling variations over time, and mistakes made when the original names were recorded.

The surname Langevin is of French origin, derived from the Latin word "Langivinus," meaning "Latin." The surname originated in the French region of Poitou, where it is believed to have been first lastly in the 13th century.

The Old French term ‘langue’, meaning ‘tongue’ or ‘language’ is also alternately believed to be the origin of the name. In this case, the name was likely given to someone of a particularly articulate or eloquent nature.

The name is likely derived from both a physical and a verbal description. While the literal meaning of the word is ‘talkative’, it could also refer to the shape of the tongue, which could be ‘long’ or ‘extensions’. This could also explain why the name is transliterated differently across various locations, as the phonetics of the word changed throughout the centuries.

Today, the surname is most common in France and across the European continent, though it also has spread to other countries around the world, including the Americas and Australia.

Famous people with the name Langevin

• Stephen Langevin: Member of Parliament (Canada, Liberal Party)
• Alysia Langevin: Canadian landscape artist
• Paloma Langevin: Canadian TV actress
• Albert Langevin: Canadian businessperson
• Pierre-Yves Langevin: Canadian classical music composer
• Ryan Langevin: Canadian actor
• Marie-Christine Langevin: Canadian music arranger and composer
• Lois Langevin: Canadian basketball player
• Hugues Langevin: Canadian war memorial photographer
• Arthur Langevin: Canadian poet
• Chloé Langevin: Canadian singer and dancer
• Mathieu Langevin: Canadian film producer and director

Other surnames