Surname Legault - Meaning and Origin

Legault: What does the surname Legault mean?

The surname Legault is of French origin and is a variant of the surname Legault. It originally derives from the Old French "legault," a combination of "le," the definite article, and "gault," a nickname for someone who walked with a limp or used a stick. Therefore, "legault" could mean "the limper." Like many surnames, it was likely used to identify a particular trait about a person and then became a family name passed down through generations. Nowadays, it is considered a fairly common surname in French-speaking regions, particularly in Quebec, Canada.

Legault: Where does the name Legault come from?

The surname Legault is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "gao," meaning "joyful" or "high-spirited." It is most likely a nickname that turned into a surname over time. Surnames often originated from nicknames based on a person's traits, and so this surname may suggest that the original bearer of the name Legault was a joyful and high-spirited individual.

The Legault surname is most commonly found today in France and Canada, specifically in the province of Quebec due to the historical migration of French people to Canada. Over the centuries, family members have migrated and settled in different regions, spreading the surname beyond its original geographic area. Therefore, it is also present, although less common, in other French-speaking countries and regions, the United States, and other nations around the world. The most notable person currently carrying the name is François Legault, the Premier of Quebec.

Variations of the surname Legault

The surname Legault is of French origin and is most commonly found in Canada, France and the United States. The name may have derived from 'le gault', a place name meaning 'the forest'. It is often found in different variant spellings due to historical changes and regional differences in pronunciation.

Some common variant spellings of Legault include Legault, Legauld, LeGault, LeGauld, and Legaut. Other variations may leave out the 't' completely, such as Legau, Legaud, or LeGau. The name may also be spelled with a 'd', as in Ledgault or LeGaud.

In addition, there are different variants depending on regional dialects and spellings, including L'egault or L'egaud in some French-speaking regions.

As with many surnames, versions that include prefixes such as 'de' or 'du' often exist, like De Legault or Du Legault. Sometimes, they may also be hyphenated, as in Le-Gault.

There may also be additional surnames that are derivatives or related to the Legault surname, such as Gaulthier, L'egaultier, or Legguet, among others. These names share the same root but have evolved and changed according to linguistic and geographical influences.

Famous people with the name Legault

• François Legault: Canadian politician, and the current premier of Quebec since 2018
• Vanessa Legault-Thivierge: Canadian actress and filmmaker
• Michel Legault: Canadian professional hockey player who won a silver medal with Canada's 1972 Olympic hockey team
• Marc-André Legault: Canadian professional ice hockey player
• Colby Legault: Canadian voice actor and radio broadcaster
• Davin Legault: Canadian actor and producer
• Lindy Legault: Canadian actress
• Marc Legault: Canadian entertainment lawyer
• Wade Legault: Canadian actor, singer, and songwriter
• Guillaume Legault: Canadian mixed-media, illustrator and artist

Other surnames

Legaud