Ouellette
A French-Canadian surname, probably from a diminutive of a personal name, especially one related to Olivier or a similar old French given name.
The #2,583 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 22,078 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ouellette is a French surname formed with the diminutive suffix -ette, which often creates a “little” or affectionate form. It is usually explained as coming from an older French personal name, most often linked to Olivier or a related regional form, though the exact starting point is not always certain. In that sense, the name likely began as a nickname or family-name form meaning “little Olivier” or “descendant of someone with that name.”
History
The surname is especially associated with French Canada, where many French surnames were preserved after settlement in North America. It is found in Québec and among descendants of Québécois families in the United States, particularly in New England and other areas with French-Canadian migration. As with many French-Canadian surnames, spelling has remained fairly stable, though pronunciation in English-speaking areas may vary.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In French, the initial OU- is pronounced like a single /w/ sound, which is why Ouellette can look unlike its pronunciation to English speakers.