Frequency: (1205)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
French (Théodore) and English: from the personal name Théodore (Greek Theodōros, a compound of theos ‘God’ + dōron ‘gift’), which was relatively popular in the Middle Ages because of its auspicious meaning. There was considerable confusion with the Germanic personal name Theodoric (see Terry). As an American family name, it has also absorbed various other European cognates, e.g. Greek Theodorakis, Theodoropoulos.
GIVEN NAMES: French 8%. Serge (5), Henri (2), Pierre (2), Alide, Andre, Antoine, Benoit, Berthony, Chantal, Daphnee, Edouard, Guilene.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
