Beauregard
A French surname meaning “beautiful view” or “fine outlook,” originally used for a pleasant place-name or house-name.
The #6,658 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 60,801 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Beauregard is built from French beau, meaning “beautiful” or “fair,” and regard, meaning “look,” “view,” or “outlook.” In literal terms, it means “beautiful view” or “fine prospect.” It was first used as a place-name, then as a surname for people connected with such a place.
History
The surname is well established in French onomastics and appears in older surname lists alongside other names built from beau-, such as Beauvoir and Beauvais. It also became familiar in North America through French-speaking families, especially in regions with French colonial or Acadian influence. The name is best known today in the French-speaking world and in parts of Louisiana and Canada.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same phrase, beau regard, can be understood as either a “beautiful view” or a “pleasant look,” which helped make it a popular and elegant place-name element.
From the historical record
“Beaud , Beaude . Beaudet , | Beauregard , Beaurepaire. Bec Belle vue, belle retraite (oil). Noms '”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)