Gonet

The name Gonet is of uncertain origin, though its documented historical usage is firmly rooted in the Occitan-speaking regions during the medieval and early modern periods. It is recorded in Briançon, a town within the Escartons Republic in the Dauphiné Alps, where Gonet Peiron (in French: Gonnet Peyron) served as the first consul of Briançon during the 1462-63 election. The role of the first consul was prestigious, as he presided over assemblies and represented Briançon in the councils of the Escartons, a federation of Alpine communities.

Another notable bearer is Gonet Faure, who appears in the late 15th century as an official messenger for the Inquisition during the suppression of the Waldensians. In 1487, under the command of Albert de Cattaneis, Gonet Faure was tasked with delivering orders to clergy and officials in Valcluson. His mission was met with resistance and threats, illustrating the tensions of the era. The name Gonet also appears in 17th-century records in Thures, Cesana Torinese, as seen in the Latinized form “Goneti,” used in parish registers.

A related and possibly older form of the name is Guigonet, borne by Guigonet Aulanhièr (in French: Guigonet Ollagnier), who served as the first consul of Briançon in the 1381-82 election. The name may derive from diminutive forms of the Occitan Guigo or Gon, both of which were common given names in the region during the medieval period. Today, “Gonnet” survives as a surname in areas of historical Occitan influence.