Delisle
A French surname meaning “of the island,” originally marking someone who lived near or came from an island or island-like place.
The #8,212 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,403 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Delisle is a French locative surname built from de “of, from” plus l’isle, an old spelling of “the island.” In literal terms, it means “from the island” or “of the island,” and could refer to someone who lived on an island, near one, or in a place known by that feature. The name ultimately goes back to Latin insula, the source of French isle.
History
The surname is well attested in France, especially in regions where surnames were formed from local landmarks or place-names. It was later borne by several noted French scholars and antiquarians, including Léopold Delisle, which helped keep the name visible in academic and historical writing. In English-language surname references, it is usually treated simply as a French locational name rather than an anglicized occupational or patronymic form.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because French l’ can fuse with a following noun, Delisle may appear in records in both spaced and fused forms, such as De Lisle and Delisle.
From the historical record
“appear to be the most authentic are : Duchesne’s list, taken from th abbey charter, containing 405 names ; Leland’s collection, with 49 names; Magny’s catalogue, with 425 names; Delisle’s, with 485 name; These are all of a much later date than the Conquest, probably temj Ed. I. I . Of the great array of…”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)