Martin, from Mars
Most common surname
Theophoric name taken from the Roman god Mars. VS’is a very common baptismal name and patronymic this name represents the Latin name martinus, popularized by the bishop of Tours, Saint Martin, evangelist of Gaul in the VIe century .
Variants: Martinaud, Martineau, Martinel, Martinet, Martinez, Marti(g)non, Martinot, Marthet, Martet, and their abbreviated forms: Tinot, Tinaud. Italian or Spanish forms: Martinez, Martini, Marti; and a Basque form: Machin.
Bernard, the warrior
2nd most common name
De the Germanic anthroponym bern-hard, from bern-, contracted form of Germanic berin “bear”, and from hard, contracted form of Germanic “hard, strong, seasoned”. It is an old warrior nickname that became a surname. It is the second surname carried in France, just behind the untouchable Martin.
Variants: Bernad and Bernat are southern forms, particularly Catalan.
Garnier, the Germanic warrior
3rd most common name
surname of Germanic origin, Warinhari (warin = protection + hari = army), probable warrior nickname. Surname very common in the West, as well as in the Lyon region and Franche-Comté. Garnier can also find its origin in the nickname of a gamekeeper (from the old French garennier, and from garenne, “lordly reserve in which game was kept”).
Variants: Garner, Guernier, and, by metathesis Granier and Grenier (which can however also be the attic), Garnaud, Grenaud and Guernaud. With the initial V or W, in the Picardy domain and in the East, the same surnames are of the form Warin, Varain, Varin, Warnier, Wargnier, Varnier or Vernier (which can in certain cases be “the man of the vergnes ), Varnerin, Varnerot, matronym Varnière. Diminutives: Garnereau, Garneret, Garnerin, Garneron, Garnerot, probably Garnery, Garnesson, Garniaux, Garniel.
