Remy
A surname from the old given name of Saint Remy, ultimately tied to Latin Remigius.
The #8,681 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 81,592 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Remy is a surname formed from the medieval personal name Remy, itself a vernacular form of Latin Remigius. The Latin name is usually explained as coming from remex/remigis, meaning “oarsman” or “rower.” In practice, the surname often began as a reference to the Christian given name rather than directly to the Latin noun.
History
The sources point to Remy as a French surname derived from the name of Saint Remy, with medieval spellings such as Remey also attested. It appears in French and related regional records, and the name also spread into neighboring areas where French naming forms were used. As with many saint-based surnames, it could function as a hereditary family name after first being a baptismal name or byname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name of Saint Remy in French comes from Saint Remigius, the bishop traditionally associated with the baptism of Clovis.
From the historical record
“Remey, Rémi, Remiet. F. et dér. du nom de saint Remy. Remey se trouve pour Remy dans les calen- driers du xiv"= siècle. RemiUy. N. d. 1. (Moselle). Eu 812, il s'appelait Romeliacum : do-”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)