St Germain
A surname from the French place name and saint’s name Saint-Germain, meaning “Saint Germain.”
The #7,652 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,123 Americans shares it.
Etymology
St Germain is a French surname derived from the place name Saint-Germain, which in turn honors a Christian saint named Germain. The name Germain comes from Latin Germanus, meaning “brother” or “from Germania/German,” depending on context and historical usage. As a surname, it usually began as a locational name for someone from a place called Saint-Germain rather than as a direct nickname or occupation.
History
The surname spread through French-speaking regions, especially in France and later in French Canada and other francophone communities. In North America it is especially associated with families of French origin, including spellings without the space or apostrophe. English-language records often compressed the form into St Germain or StGermain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
There are many places called Saint-Germain in France, so the surname may point to several different local origins rather than just one family line.