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Position:Home>Genealogy> Where does the last name Doyen come from?


Question:I've been told it's french, but I'm not sure. The "Doyen" side of my family comes from Texas.


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I've been told it's french, but I'm not sure. The "Doyen" side of my family comes from Texas.

This is what www.ancestry.com has to say about the name,
Doyen
French: from doyen ‘dean’, hence probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble a dean, or an occupational name for someone in the service of a dean.
hope this helps.

Yes it's Old French origin...it comes from Dean (Old English origin).

I do not think the name is so much french and it appears to be a title. I saw the word in my dictionary and it says--a senior member of a body of colleagues,as in doyenne..a female member.