lhoste

Lhoste is a surname of French origin that occasionally appears in historical documents as a toponymic or occupational name. In contemporary usage it is mainly found as a family name.

Etymology: The surname derives from the Old French word hoste, meaning host or guest. It reflects a common practice of forming surnames from occupations or social roles. The modern form with the definite article l’ (l’hôte) reflects elision before a vowel in French.

Usage and distribution: The name is relatively uncommon outside French-speaking communities. It has historical attestation in France and has persisted in genealogical records, sometimes among families that emigrated to other Francophone regions. As a surname, it may appear in various spellings in different records, such as Lhoste or L’Hoste, depending on orthographic conventions of given periods and locales.

Notable bearers: There are no widely recognized individuals with the surname Lhoste who have dedicated encyclopedia articles. The name is considered rare, and notable bearers may be found primarily in local or genealogical sources rather than in major reference works.

See also: The French word hôte, meaning host, is etymologically related. The form L’Hôte appears in historical records as a toponymic or occupational variant.