Bonnett
Usually a French-derived surname from bon, meaning “good” or “fine,” often used as a nickname or pet form.
The #8,239 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,745 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bonnett is generally explained as a French or Anglo-French surname built on Old French bon, meaning “good” or “pleasant.” It was likely first used as a nickname, pet name, or term of endearment, with some writers connecting it to forms like Bonnet and Bonney. In older surname books, it is sometimes treated as a diminutive or affectionate form rather than a literal occupational name.
History
The surname appears in English records by the early modern period and has long been associated with French-speaking influence in Britain. Nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century surname writers often grouped Bonnett with Bonnet, Bonney, and related names, suggesting a shared nickname origin. It also appears in American records, where spellings with -tt became established alongside simpler Bonnet.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older surname dictionaries connect Bonnett with French forms such as Bonnet and Bonnair, showing how strongly medieval French influenced English surnames.
From the historical record
“MALLETTJ (Lat. mal-us) -|-the dim. suff. -rt] Cp. Bonnett. 2 Accursed [Norm. Fr. waafeft, pp. of the verb maleir, tOjCurSe ; Lat. tftaledicere] , , Maleit seit oi cil aucidenz. —”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)