Lavoie

Lavoie is a surname of French origin and is also encountered as a place name in some French-speaking regions. In Canada, the name is especially common in Quebec, where many families trace their roots to early French settlement.

Etymology and variants: The surname is generally regarded as toponymic, likely derived from a geographic feature related to a road or route, such as the French word voie meaning "the road" or "the way." Variants and related forms include LaVoie or Lavoie in different orthographic renditions.

Distribution and history: Beyond Quebec, Lavoie can be found in other parts of Canada, in France, and among French-speaking diaspora communities around the world. As with many surnames of French origin, bearers may have migrated to various regions over the centuries, leading to a broad distribution in Francophone communities and immigrant populations.

Notable connections: The name Lavoie appears across public life in Francophone regions, including politics, arts, sports, and academia. As a relatively common surname in certain communities, it is associated with a diverse range of families rather than a single lineage.

See also: Related spellings and variants such as LaVoie reflect the same linguistic roots. In discussing surnames, Lavoie is often grouped with other toponymic French-origin names that describe location-based origins.