Surname Garat - Meaning and Origin

Garat: What does the surname Garat mean?

The last name Garat is a French habitational surname derived from the village of Garat in the Pyrenees Mountains in southwestern France. The name Garat is thought to have derived from the pre-Roman language of the Basque people, its literal meaning being "rock" or "stone".

Garat is a relatively uncommon name, although there are some notable figures associated with it, such as the Marquis de Garat, a prominent French naval minister during the early 19th century, and the Spanish martyr and Jesuit priest Pierre Garat, among others.

The earliest known appearance of the Garat family name is in Galicia, a province in northwestern Spain. From here the family settled in France; the first known French bearers of the name Garat were recorded in 1727, living in the Pyrénées Atlantiques region of southwestern France.

Garat is a recognisable and older surname, and is still common in parts of France today. Its literal meaning and association with noble figures give this surname a sense of strength and durability. Although this family name is uncommon, those with a connection to it can take pride in their unique roots and heritage.

Garat: Where does the name Garat come from?

The last name Garat is particularly common in France and other French-speaking countries like Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland, as well as in some Latin American countries like Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia. It is also widespread in parts of the United States, mostly concentrated in the Midwest and Southwest.

The origin of the name is unknown. It could be derived from a personal name, such as Garaut, Garro, or even Garait, which appears in records as far back as the 14th century. It could also be a derivative of gerart, Dutch for crane or stork.

The name Garat first became popular in numerous parts of France. By the 17th century, families bearing this surname had already spread throughout much of the south of France, in particular along the mountain range of the Pyrenees. Over time, this expansion brought individuals with the name Garat to other regions of France, such as La Rochelle and Paris.

Beginning in the 18th century, large numbers of individuals bearing the last name Garat immigrated to North America. In the United States, individuals bearing the surname Garat scattered across much of the country, settling primarily in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Tennessee, California, and Texas. Afterward, many Garat families migrated to other French-speaking countries in Europe and the Americas, such as Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, and Argentina.

As of 2020, there are more than 40,000 people with the last name Garat in over 30 countries around the world. The most concentration of them can be found in France, where around 6,000 Garats reside, followed by Mexico with 3,000, and the United States with 2,500.

Variations of the surname Garat

The surname Garat can have several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. It can sometimes be spelled Garaud, Garaud, Garraud,Garaut, Garault, Garrod, Garrat, and Garratt. All of these variants stem from the French surname Garat, which originated in one of two regions of southern France, either Gascony or Provence. In Gascony, it was a patronymic, derived from the Latin personal name Garatus, which is itself derived from the Germanic ger, meaning ‘spear’. In Provence, it was an occupational name related to producing ceramic ware.

In Spain, the surname is usually spelled Garate or Garatte, and is derived from the Basque word garate, meaning ‘magpie’, an animal with a distinctive call. The Basque spelling is Garat(e).

The surname is also most likely of Romani origin, where it is derived from the Romani word garaitano, meaning ‘black sheep’. It is distinct from variants of the surname Garrat, however, which is derived from the Germanic word garaud, meaning ‘spear’.

The surname Garat may also be an Anglicized version of Garrahy, a name derived from the Irish Gaelic Ó Gearradháin or Ó Gargaigh, meaning ‘descendant of Gearradhán’ or ‘descendant of Gargaigh’.

In sum, the surname Garat can have several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Garaud, Garaud, Garraud, Garaut, Garault, Garrod, Garrat, Garratt, Garate, Garatte, Garrahy, and Ó Gearradháin or Ó Gargaigh.

Famous people with the name Garat

• Jean Garat, a French actor.
• Jérôme Garat, a French musician and composer.
• Anaïs Garat, a French figure skater.
• Pierre Garat, a French stage, film and television actor.
• Patrick Garat, a French retired football defender.
• Le Garat brothers, Pierre and Jacques, two officers in the French navy and scientists who honed their skills in cartography and astronomy.
• Antoine Garat, a French politician.
• Michael Garat, a French television producer.
• Jean-Marie Garat, a French politician.
• Jean-Claude Garat, a French author and traveler.
• Paul Garat, a French archaeological conservationist.
• Jean-Gabriel Garat, a French author and educator.
• Nathalie Garat, a French actress.
• Evariste Garat, a French military officer and politician.
• André Garat, a French composer and musicologist.
• Xavier Garat, a French race car driver and test driver.
• Maurice Garat, a French criminal law lawyer.
• Olivier Garat, a French actor.

Other surnames

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