Augustine
A surname from the personal name Augustine, ultimately tied to the Latin for “venerable” or “revered.”
The #2,536 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,639 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Augustine is a surname taken from the medieval personal name Augustine, itself from Latin Augustinus, a derivative of Augustus. In the historical dictionaries, it is explained as meaning something like “imperial,” “royal,” “great,” or “renowned,” reflecting the prestige of the Roman name. As a surname, it typically began as a baptismal or patronymic name, identifying someone as the son or family of a man named Augustine. In England the name was often shortened in everyday use to Austin.
History
The name was common in medieval England as a Christian given name, helped by the fame of St Augustine. Historical surname collections show early spellings in English records and note that the form Austin became especially common as a reduced everyday equivalent. In later centuries Augustine remained both a surname and a given name, with bearers found in Britain, Ireland, and the wider English-speaking world.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley notes that Augustine was popularly known in England as Austin, which is why Austin and Augustine can be closely related surname forms.
From the historical record
“AUGUSTUS. (Lat.) Noble, royal, imperial AUGUSTINE and AUSTIN. (Latin.) A contraction of Augustine, from Augustinus, imperial, royal, great, or re- nowned. AZARIAH. Assistance. BALDWIN. (Ger.) The speedy conqueror or victor, from laid, quick or speedy, and win, an old word signifying victor or conqueror. BAPTISTS.…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names