Le Conte
Origin of Surname
This name was, in most instances, a medieval nickname of occupation for an actor, one who played the part of a count or nobleman in a travelling theatre. It is also possible that it may have referred to an actual count, or more likely it was satirical, and given to someone thought to behave in an aristocratic fashion.
The derivation is from the Old French word "conte", from the Latin word "comes" meaning comrade. It is an example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames.
The first record of the name is that of Ralph le Conte. This was dated 1196, in the Pipe Rolls of Durham, during the reign of King Richard 1
Early records
The name is more common in Guernsey than Jersey, but was a late arrival, possibly with a Huguenot refugee family of the late 17th century. There are
The name is very common today in Normandy, either as Lecomte or Leconte, the combination of the two being among the ten most numerous surnames in the region.
Variants
- Le Conte, 1299
- Le Counte 1309
- Le Comte 1299
- Le Compte
- Compte
- Lecomte
- Leconte
- Le Count
- Lecount
- Conte
- Count
Family records
Church records
