indicate the level to which a name has been verified.Type Political Subdivision & Settlement
Usage American (West)
Meaning & History
The name "Bonneville" has French origins, and it literally means “good town” or “pleasant settlement.” It comes from the Old French words "bon" (good) and "ville" (town or village), and was originally a locational name—used to identify someone from a place called Bonneville.
There are several towns named Bonneville in Normandy, France, and the name likely traveled to the British Isles with Norman settlers after the 1066 conquest. In fact, early records show the name evolving into forms like "Bonville" or "Bonvile" in England, Scotland, and Wales, often associated with noble families and landowners.
In the U.S., the name Bonneville is most famously tied to Captain Benjamin Bonneville, a French-born U.S. Army officer and explorer of the American West in the 1830s. His name was later given to Bonneville Salt Flats and Bonneville County in Idaho, among other places, cementing the name in the geography of the American frontier.
There are several towns named Bonneville in Normandy, France, and the name likely traveled to the British Isles with Norman settlers after the 1066 conquest. In fact, early records show the name evolving into forms like "Bonville" or "Bonvile" in England, Scotland, and Wales, often associated with noble families and landowners.
In the U.S., the name Bonneville is most famously tied to Captain Benjamin Bonneville, a French-born U.S. Army officer and explorer of the American West in the 1830s. His name was later given to Bonneville Salt Flats and Bonneville County in Idaho, among other places, cementing the name in the geography of the American frontier.