Antoine
A French form of the personal name Anthony, ultimately from the ancient Roman name Antonius.
The #3,734 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 32,523 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Antoine is the French form of the given name Anthony, from Latin Antonius. In surname use, it usually began as a name taken from a father’s or ancestor’s personal name rather than from a place or occupation. The deeper meaning of Antonius itself is uncertain; older writers sometimes linked it to ancient Roman or legendary origins, but that is not securely established.
History
The name became common in French-speaking areas through the Christian cult of St. Anthony, and it appears in medieval records in forms such as Antoine and related spellings. The surname also spread into English-speaking countries through French and other continental immigration. In older onomastic books, Antoine is treated simply as the French equivalent of Anthony.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older English surname dictionaries often grouped Antoine with Anthony and Anton as closely related national forms of the same underlying name.
From the historical record
“Antony is a Southern French form of Antoine. SANXTER for Sangster, q.v. SAPSED (Eng.) Dweller at the Spruce-Fir HEAD(land [f. (with late -5 genit.) O.E.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)