Surname Legall - Meaning and Origin

Legall: What does the surname Legall mean?

The last name LEGALL is French in origin. The name is derived from the Latin word "legis," which means "law" or "right." This suggests that the original ancestors of the Legall family were related to the legal profession or held positions in legal matters. It is also believed that the name was adopted from a place connected to law enforcement as early as the 11th century. This could have been a court, a lawyer's office, or a bailiff's house.

The LEGALL surname likely started to become widely used sometime in the 15th or 16th century when family names began to become popular. The last name likely spread throughout France and later beyond, as many French immigrants brought their names with them.

Today, the last name LEGALL remains relatively common among certain regions in France, such as Provence, Normandy, and Pau. It is also known to be quite common in many parts of Canada, the United States, and South America.

Overall, the surname LEGALL reflects a long history of someone connected to legal matters and suggests a strong family tradition. The name is likely to have spread around the world over hundreds of years ago but is still recognized primarily in parts of France and North America.

Legall: Where does the name Legall come from?

The last name LeGall is most commonly found in France today. Records indicate that the name initially arose in the area of Brittany in northwestern France as early as the 13th century, in the time of King Philip Augustus of France. It is believed to have evolved from the phrase "le Gall," which means "the Welshman" in Breton, a language related to Welsh and Cornish.

The LeGall family has spread throughout France over the centuries, first to Normandy and the Paris region and then to other parts of the country. Today, the name appears most frequently in the regions of Brittany, Pays de la Loire, and Aquitaine, where it has become well-established. Outside of France, the name can be found in countries with strong links to France, including the United States, Canada, England, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Guinea.

In the United States, LeGall can be found mainly along the east coast, with the majority of people bearing the name living in Louisiana, Florida, and New York. It is also present in smaller numbers throughout other parts of the country. In Canada, LeGall is most common in the province of Quebec, particularly in and around Montreal.

The LeGall name has been associated with many prominent figures throughout the centuries, including the United States' first consul to France, Jean-Antoine LeGall; the pioneering French opera singer Adélaïde LeGall; and French hedge fund manager Luc Pierre LeGall.

Variations of the surname Legall

The surname LEGALL is a French and German surname originating from the Old French name La Galle or Le Gall. This name was adopted in many places around Europe, including Germany, and can have many variants. The most common and ancient variants are La Gall, Le Gall, Gall and Galles. However, there are also many spellings of the name, including Gal, La Gale, Le Gal, Galle, Gale, Gallo, Gallet, Legalle, Legall, La Gail, Legallez, Le Spiel and Galleux.

In Germany, the name Le Gall was associated with the region of Gotha, and became Galle or Other variants such as Gallien, Galling, Gallmann, Galler and Goller. In France, the name usually took the form La Gallagher, Gallet, La Galle or Gall and can also be seen as Le Gallin, Galin, Galzot, Galayas and Galice.

The variants of LEGALL are scattered across languages and culture. For example, in England, the surname is seen as Gaul, Galle, Gales, Gaol, Galea, Gallup and Gallo, whereas in Poland, the surname appears as Legoki, Legala and Legosz. In Spain, the surname is seen as Gallardo, Gallarza, Gallegos and Gallego.

All of these surnames are variants of the same root, having descended from La Galle or Le Gall centuries ago. Regardless of language, spelling and culture, all are united by a common ancestor, sharing the same noble origin.

Famous people with the name Legall

• Jean-Baptiste Le Gall:French footballer
• Jean-Louis Le Gall: French oceanographer
• Valentin Le Gall: Breton-Arts painter
• Pierre Bustamente Le Gall: French portrait painter
• Alfonse Legall: French boxer
• Philippe Le Gall: French historical painter
• Georges Le Gall: French sculptor
• Perrienne Le Gall: French director
• Jean Le Gall: French jeweller
• Christian Le Gall: French film director
• N. Faustin Le Gall: French painter
• Patrick Le Gall: French classical bass
• Joseph-Alexandre Legall: French archaeologist
• Anne Le Gall-French pastry chef
• Marguerite Legall: French composer and pianist
• Gaston Legall: French singer
• Benoit Le Gall: French writer
• Louis Legall: French oil painter
• Jean-Jacques Legall: French Pantheist poet
• Paul Claude Legall: French pianist

Other surnames

Legal