Surname Ouellet - Meaning and Origin

Ouellet: What does the surname Ouellet mean?

The last name Ouellet is a French-Canadian surname derived from the French term “OUELLET” which is a diminutive form of the French word “ouelle” meaning “little sparrow.” The surname is most commonly found in Quebec, representing a direct immigration to the province from France in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Ouellet Family is believed to have been active in Catholic life in France, according to some sources, with some members of the family serving in the priesthood. This Catholic background would explain why the Ouellet family chose to make the voyage to Quebec in search of a new life.

In the current day, the Ouellets are a well-known and respected French-Canadian family. There are many notable Ouellets in Quebec ranging from politicians, to athletes, to celebrities. One popular example is partisan Raoul Ouellet, who was elected in 2015 to the House of Commons of Canada.

The Ouellet Family is now a unique, proud and loyal family that has become synonymous with the Quebecian culture and history. The age old family name will no doubt carry on for generations and its many members are sure to continue to uphold the enduring Ouellet family legacy.

Ouellet: Where does the name Ouellet come from?

The last name Ouellet is most commonly found in Canada. Ouellet is an ancient French surname, which has been present in Quebec since the 16th century and has spread across the rest of the country in recent decades as a result of migration.

According to the 2016 Canadian census, the Ouellet surname is most prevalent in the province of Quebec. More than 66,000 people claiming Ouellet of French origin reside in the province, particularly in the Montérégie, Mauricie, and Estrie regions.

In addition to Canada, the Ouellet name is also well-represented in the United States, with over 8,000 people using it in the 2020 US census. The most concentrated areas of the US where the Ouellet name is found are in the states of Michigan, California, and Massachusetts.

The surname Ouellet is also present in France, Belgium, Haiti, and elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere. Outside of the New World, the Ouellet name is primarily found in France, where census data shows more than 6,000 people with this name.

Ouellet is a rather common French surname, with tens of thousands of people using it around the world in 2020. It originated in France in the 16th century, and has since spread to various parts of the world through migration, including Canada, the United States, and other countries.

Variations of the surname Ouellet

The Ouellet surname is a French-origin hailing from the northwestern French region of Normandy. The surname is thought to have derived from the Old French spelling of the name, Wale, which means "foreigner".variants of Ouellet include: Wale, Ouellette, Ouillette, Waellet, Wellet, Wellette, Wullet, Wullette, Walet, Wallette, Walelet, Wailet, Wailette, Ouillet, Ouillett, Uellette, Uillette and Ouelet.

The Ouellet surname is known to have spread to other regions of Europe such as Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Germany. Its spelling has been adapted over the centuries to suit the regional language and culture.

In the United States, the surname has been mainly associated with the region of New England, especially in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont. Different English language and American adaptations of the spelling include Ullet, Wellette and Willet.

In Canada, variants of this surname include Ouelette, Ouellette, Welet, Willet, Willette, and Uillette. The Ouellet spelling is particularly prominent in the province of Quebec due to it being more heavily influenced by French culture than the rest of Canada.

Many people bearing the surname Ouellet have adopted double-barrel surnames, usually by pairing it with their spouse's surname, such as Ouellet-Smith or Smith-Ouellet. Some variants of the double-barrel Ouellet surname include: Wale-Smith, Welet-Smith, Wellette-Smith, Wullet-Smith, Wullette-Smith, Walet-Smith, Wallette-Smith, Walelet-Smith, Wailet-Smith, Wailette-Smith, Ouillet-Smith, Ouillett-Smith, Uellette-Smith, Uillette-Smith, Ouelet-Smith.

Famous people with the name Ouellet

• Marie-Mai Ouellet: Canadian singer-songwriter.
• Sloane Ouellet: Canadian Olympic freestyle skier.
• Ève Ouellet: Canadian politician.
• Romain Ouellet: French film director.
• France Ouellette: Canadian film composer.
• Tanya Ouellette: Canadian BMX athlete.
• Lionel Ouellet: Canadian sculptor.
• Mathieu Ouellet: Canadian politician.
• Guillaume Ouellet: Canadian actor.
• Claude Ouellet: Canadian ice hockey player.

Other surnames

Ouellette