Guay
A surname with several possible roots, most likely from a French place-name or from a shortened old Germanic personal name.
The #9,923 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 94,853 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The evidence points to more than one possible origin. One line of explanation treats Guay as a French surname tied to a place-name, perhaps linked to Gascony in some historical spellings and references. Another possibility is that it reflects an older Germanic personal-name form, with the sense of a name built on the element meaning 'good' or 'fortunate.'
History
The name appears in French and Francophone contexts, and the spelling Guay is also found in North America, where it is often associated with French-Canadian families. Historical references do not settle a single derivation, and 19th-century scholars themselves offered competing explanations. As a result, the surname is best treated as having an uncertain etymology rather than one fixed source.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older onomastic works, Guay was sometimes grouped with names thought to come from a Germanic root meaning 'good.'
From the historical record
“Guasco. De Gascogne (oc). Guay. Gai (oc). Gudin. Nom classé par Forste- raanu comme une forme du vieux nom germ. Godin (bon).”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)