Garant
A French surname derived from the word "garant" meaning a guarantor or surety.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 788 Americans carry the last name Garant. That puts it at #33,990 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 434,967 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Garant surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
788
1 in 434,967
Census rank
#33,990
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
669
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 669 bearers of the surname Garant in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 33990th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Garant, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Garant
The surname GARANT has its origins in France, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "garantir," which means "to guarantee" or "to protect." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone whose occupation involved providing protection or acting as a guarantor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GARANT can be found in the records of the Normandy region of France, where a family by the name of Garant resided in the town of Rouen in the late 1500s. The name is also believed to have been present in the nearby regions of Brittany and Picardy during this time period.
In the 17th century, the name GARANT appeared in various historical documents across France, such as parish records and property deeds. One notable mention is in the "Registre des baptêmes, mariages et sépultures" (Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials) of the town of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, where a Pierre GARANT was recorded as having been born in 1624.
As the name spread across France, it underwent slight variations in spelling, including GARAND, GARRAND, and GARRANT. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record-keepers.
Several notable historical figures have borne the surname GARANT over the centuries. One such individual was Jean-Baptiste GARANT (1663-1733), a French military officer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession. Another was Marie-Thérèse GARANT (1718-1788), a renowned French painter and engraver known for her portraiture and religious works.
In the 19th century, the name GARANT gained prominence in Canada, where many French immigrants settled. Jacques GARANT (1815-1892), a prominent Quebec businessman and politician, was one of the earliest individuals with this surname to achieve prominence in the region.
Other notable individuals with the surname GARANT include Henri GARANT (1892-1976), a Canadian lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court of Canada, and Marie-Claire GARANT (1916-2003), a French Canadian author and educator known for her works on Quebec literature and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Garant
Among Census respondents with the surname Garant, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Garant bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Garant surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2%
- Hispanic or Latino1.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Garant surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,990 | #33,990 | 0.0% |
| Count | 669 | 669 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Garant bearers went from 669 to 669 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #33,990 to #33,990.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Garant
FAQ
Garant surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Garant?
The surname Garant holds position #33,990 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 788 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Garant surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Garant, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.