Last Name Bonjour

The surname Bonjour is of French origin. It means "good day" in French and is often used as a greeting. As a surname, it may have been given to someone born on a day when it was considered auspicious or to a person who had a friendly or cheerful disposition.

Learn more about the origin of the last name Bonjour

The meaning and origin of the last name Bonjour

The surname Bonjour is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "bon jour" which means "good day." It was initially used as a salutation before parting for the day, and later evolved into a surname. In France, surnames were not universally adopted until the 17th or 18th century, so families that took up the name Bonjour likely did so during this time period. The name is also found in Belgium and Quebec, where it continues to be a common surname among French-speaking populations. Notable individuals with the surname include the American actor and singer Donnie Wahlberg, whose mother's maiden name was Bonjour, and Jean Bonjour, a Canadian politician who served as the Minister of National Defense in the early 1980s.

Geographical distribution of the last name Bonjour

The surname Bonjour is predominantly of French origin and is most commonly found in France, particularly in regions such as Normandy and Brittany. It also has a significant presence in Quebec, Canada due to historical French settlement. The name has been exported to various parts of the world by French immigrants, with notable populations found in Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. In addition, Bonjour is present in countries with large French-speaking diaspora communities like Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean. It can also be found in various regions of the United States, particularly Louisiana, where French influence remains strong due to historical colonization. Overall, while its geographical distribution is primarily centered around areas with a French or Francophone background, Bonjour has spread globally as a result of migration and cultural diffusion.

Variants and spellings of the last name Bonjour

The surname Bonjour has several variants and spellings due to regional dialects and transcribing errors over time. Some common variations include Bonjур (Cyrillic), Bonjou, Bonzour, Bounjour, Bunjeur, Bonju, Bondzhour, Bongeour, and Bongior, among others. These variations originate from France, where the name was originally spelled "Bonjorn" (Good Day) in Old French. It later evolved into Bonjour as a common greeting in modern French. The spellings outside of France have been influenced by local languages and phonetic transcriptions.

Famous people with the last name Bonjour

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Bonjour, three stand out in different fields:

1. Jean Bonjour (1897-1986) was a Swiss mathematician and statistician who made significant contributions to number theory, particularly with the introduction of Bonjour's conjecture.

2. André Bonjour (1934-2015), also from Switzerland, was an accomplished filmmaker known for directing over 60 documentaries, including "The Man Who Laughs" and "Le Corbusier."

3. In the realm of technology, Paul Bonjour is a renowned computer scientist who has worked extensively on networking protocols and distributed systems. He is most recognized for his work in the Domain Name System (DNS) and the Bonjour service discovery protocol.

Genealogical research on the last name Bonjour

The surname Bonjour originates from France and is a diminutive form of the given name Boniface, which means "well-born" or "good fighter." Historically, it was common among the Normans, who were descendants of Vikings who settled in what is now Northern France during the early Middle Ages. The first recorded spelling of the surname appears to be Bonjuor, dated 1308 in a document from the region of Normandy. From there, it spread throughout France and eventually migrated with French settlers to other parts of Europe and the New World. In North America, the most significant concentration of Bonjour families can be found in Quebec, Canada, where they settled during the 17th century as part of the French colonial expansion. Today, the Bonjour surname is found throughout the world, with a large number of descendants still residing in France and Quebec. Genealogical research on this name often uncovers connections to military service, agriculture, and the Catholic Church due to the historical roles of these institutions in France and French-speaking communities.

Last name distribution maps

Sources & References

• INSEE statistics on the surname "Bonjour"
• Global distribution of the surname on Forebears.io
• Wikipedia Article

About the author :

NomOrigine Team
Passionate about genealogy, name history, and linguistics, we have been analyzing the origins of names for over 3 years. Our content is based on verified historical, etymological, and statistical data.
Last updated : 10 June 2025

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