Constantine
A surname that usually began as a baptismal name, ultimately from the Latin Constantinus, meaning “steady” or “firm.”
The #6,441 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,563 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally from the medieval personal name Constantine, borrowed from Latin Constantinus. The Latin name is built on constans, meaning “constant,” “steady,” or “firm,” so the underlying sense is “the steadfast one.” In surname use, it usually developed as a baptismal or patronymic form, applied to someone identified as the son or descendant of a man named Constantine.
History
Historical surname writers note that Constantine was used as a forename in Cornwall and Devon and could give rise to local surname forms. The name also reflects the broader medieval habit of turning saints’ and ancient Roman personal names into hereditary surnames. It has remained relatively uncommon as a surname, though it is well established in Britain and in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 19th-century surname writer specifically remarks that Constantine was once a favourite baptismal name in Cornwall.
From the historical record
“CONRAD. (Ger.) Able counsel. CONSTANTINE. (Lat.) Constantinus, fast, firm, unyielding. CORNELIUS. (Latin and Greek.) From cornu, a horn, and ^/Uof, the sun. CRISPIN. (Lat.) Crispinus, from crispuA, having curled hair. CUTHBERT. (Sax.) Famous, bright, of clear skill or knowl- CYPRIAN. (Greek.) From the isle of…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names