Guerin: Surname Meaning and Family History

The Guerin surname derives from the Old French guarin or guerin, meaning "to watch or guard." Gwaren is the Welsh variation of the surname, Guarin the Spanish, and Warren is a common Anglicized version.

Surname Origin: French, Irish, Welsh (Gwaren)

Alternate Surname Spellings: GEURIN, GEREN, GARIN, GUERRIN, GUERREN, GUERINNE, GUERREIN, GERIN, GWAREN, GUARIN

Famous People with the Guerin Surname

• Veronica Guerin: Irish crime reporter
• William Robert "Bill" Guerin: American former professional ice hockey player; assistant general manager of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins
• Jean-Baptiste Paulin Guérin: French painter
• Jean-Marie Camille Guérin: French immunologist
• Gilles Guérin: French sculptor

Where the Guerin Surname is Most Common

Not unsurprisingly, the Guerin surname is most commonly found in France, according to surname distribution data from Forebears; it ranks as the 59th most common last name in the country. It is also somewhat common in Ireland (ranked 714th) and Canada (933rd).

WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Guerin surname is especially frequent in northwestern France, specifically Bregagne (Brittany), Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes, and Centre-Val de Loire.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname Guerin

• Meanings of Common French Surnames: Uncover the meaning of your French last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common French surnames.
• Guerin Family Crest: It's Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Guerin family crest or coat of arms for the Guerin surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.
• Some Historical Notes on the Origin of the Guerin Surname in Co. Clare: An essay by Pat Guerin on the origins of the 'Guerins of Co. Clare.'
• Guerin Family Genealogy Forum: This free message board is focused on descendants of Guerin ancestors around the world.
• FamilySearch: Guerin Genealogy: Explore over 400,000 results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Guerin surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Guerin Surname Mailing List: Free mailing list for researchers of the Guerin surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.
• DistantCousin.com: Guerin Genealogy & Family History: Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Guerin.
• GeneaNet: Guerin Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Guerin surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.
• The Guerin Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Guerin surname from the website of Genealogy Today.

Sources

• Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.
• Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.
• Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.
• Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997