Augustin
A surname that usually comes from the personal name Augustin, itself tied to the old Roman name Augustus and the idea of venerable dignity.
The #4,550 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,644 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Augustin is generally a surname formed from the given name Augustin, a medieval and later Christian personal name. That name ultimately goes back to Latin Augustus, meaning something like “venerable,” “consecrated,” or “esteemed.” In English and French records, the surname often began as a patronymic marker for the son or descendant of someone named Augustin/Austin.
History
The historical sources here treat Augustin alongside Austin/Austen as related surname forms, reflecting the long overlap between those name shapes in medieval records. The name appears in English documentary material by the 13th and 14th centuries, though spellings were highly variable. In later centuries, Augustin became less common in England than Austin, but it remained in use in clerical, immigrant, and continental European contexts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley notes medieval record forms such as Augustin and Augustyn, showing that the surname’s spelling could shift a lot before modern standardization.
From the historical record
“keeper, etc.] Augustin Tuuherd.— i/wwrf. Rolls. TOWNLEY 1 (Eng.) Dweller at the Town TOWNELEY J (Village)-MEADOw[M.E. f(o)M«,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)