My great grandmother spelled her last name Guinette...her son changed it to Gwinnette, than my dad changed it?

Question

to Gwinett....still others in my family use Gwinnett. All sound the same but how do you think the different spellings came from...and how?? Also, where did this name originate? Any ideas? Thanks

Answer 1

People have often altered the spelling of their surname

over the years, often so as not to look too "foreign" sometimes because it was easier for others to spell, the reasons are many.

A few references to the Guinette name, which is almost certainly French in origin :-

During the 16th Century there settled at Pilsudi on the borders of Lithuania and Courland a family by the name of Guinette anciently potent in the late pagan era of Lithuania (14th Century).  The Guinettes altered their name to Pilsudski, and from them the Marshal claims descent.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...

Essonne département, Île-de-France région, northern France. It lies along the Juine River, about 28 miles (45 km) south of Paris. The town in medieval times was a stronghold and preserves several architectural remnants of those times, including a 12th-century donjon, the tower of Guinette, several churches (Saint-Basile, Notre-Dame du Fort, Saint-Gil, and Saint-Martin), a town…

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-903...

Known as “Little Venice” for the numerous rivers that flow through it, Etampes is the leading tourist attraction of Essonne. Built around several churches (Notre-Dame with its celebrated clock-tower and doorway, Saint-Martin with its famous Leaning Tower, Saint-Basile and Saint-Gilles), the different districts of the town form a series of historic sites (with 26 listed buildings) recalling centuries of history at every turning. Chief among them are the Portereaux (16th), the Town Hall (15th), the Maison des Piliers (12th), the Hôtel Anne-de-Pisseleu (16th) and the Hôtel Diane-de-Poitiers (15th). Not forgetting the Tour de Guinette, the final vestige of the former royal castle, which dominates the town.

http://www.trombi.com/s/152848/91_Essonn...

http://wikimapia.org/7043576/fr/Tour_de_...

http://i.ville.gouv.fr/divbib/doc/cartes...

Answer 2

Easier to spell, i think.

Answer 3

I'm not sure where it would have came from but i think the reason why they would have changed it was for easier pronunciation. Thats what my friend did and i dont remember what it started out as but it ended up being wallace.