Guest (surname)

The surname Guest is derived from the Old English word giest, which in turn comes from the Old Norse word "gestr", both of which mean "guest" or "stranger." Spelling variations may include Gest, Geste, Gueste, Ghest, Geest, Geeste, Gist, Ghost, Jest. Other European counterparts to the name include the German and Dutch "Gast", Luxembourgish "Gaascht", Swedish "Gäst", Norwegian "Gjest", Serbian and Slovakian "Gost", Czech "Host", etc.

History
"Guest" derives from a place and not from the occupational status of some ancient forebear given to chronic visiting. Other theories suggest a spiritual concept i.e. "guests on this earth", or a polite substitute for "serf". Guest, the place, was near Caen, Normandy, and the original bearers of the name are said to have taken part in the Norman Conquest of England under William I in 1066. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Benwoldus Guest. This was dated 1100 in the Old English Names Register, during the reign of King William II of England, 1087–1100. After the conquest, the family settled in Salop (now Shropshire) in middle-western England and apparently held the estate known as Lega from the De Dunstanvilles. Some ancient land records show Alan De Guest granting the lands of Alric de Lega (Guest) to a monastery called Wembridge Priory in 1150. His son Thomas (a name which occurs frequently in the Guest line) is mentioned in 1180. Some of the other Guests of antiquity were Thomas' sons Walter and Leonard, referred to in 1194 and 1280; and Henry, son of Leonard, 1240. Roger de Lega, or Guest, brother of Henry, had a son Thomas who again gave lands to Wembridge Priory. In 1295 Adam Gest (another variant of the name) was assessor of the parliamentary rolls in Salop.

From these Normans descended Bishop Edmund Guest (1518–1577) who became the Bishop of Salisbury (1571–1577) and was one of the Reformers. He was the distributor of alms on behalf of Queen Elizabeth from 1560–1572. Also of note is the eminent manufacturer Sir John Guest (1785-1852) a baronet and the elder son of Thomas Guest, part owner of the Dowlais Iron Works, who died in 1807. History records as well the names of George Guest (1771–1831), an organist and composer who lived in Shropshire; Thomas Douglas Guest (1803–1839) an historical and portrait painter and Joshua Guest of Yorkshire (1660–1747) a Lieutenant General whose regiment fought in the Irish Campaign under William III. Other examples taken from church registers: Margaret Geeste married Thomas Emberson on October 5, 1546 at St. Margarets Westminster, and Edward Guest married Joane Willson at St. Botolphs Bishopsgate, city of London on September 9, 1632.

Some Guests migrated to Ireland either as part of Henry II's (1166–1172) or any of the other various conquerors' (i.e. Oliver Cromwell's) armies or support people. Ireland had been connected with England from the time of when the Anglo-Norman barons in the 12th century invaded Ireland and set up English rule; however, effective control of the island eluded the English until almost the end of the Tudor period in the mid-sixteenth century.

Waves of Guests migrated to the New World such as Elizabeth Guest arriving in Maryland in 1637, Walter Guest in Maryland in 1640, George Guest in Virginia in 1647, Anthony Guest in Virginia in 1663, Thomas Guest in New York in 1812, and John Guest in Pennsylvania in 1840.

People with the surname

 * Al Guest (contemporary), Canadian animation producer
 * Andrew Guest, American television writer
 * Ann Hutchinson Guest (1918–2022), authority on dance notation and wife of Ivor Forbes Guest
 * Anthony Haden-Guest (born 1937), British-American writer, reporter, cartoonist, art critic, poet, and socialite
 * Arthur Guest (1841–1898), British politician
 * Barbara Guest (1920–2006), American poet and critic
 * Bill Guest (1928–1985), Canadian television host
 * Lady Charlotte Guest (1812–1895), Welsh historian and translator; wife of John Josiah Guest
 * C. Z. Guest (Lucille Douglas Cochrane Guest, 1920–2003), American socialite and fashion icon; daughter in-law of Frederick Edward Guest
 * Charles Guest (1900–1977), Royal Air Force officer
 * Charlie Guest (born 1993), Scottish alpine skier
 * Christopher Guest (born 1948), Christopher Haden-Guest, actor, writer, director, musician
 * Christopher John Guest (born 1975), Christopher John Guest, musician, artist, EDM composer
 * Colin Guest (1937–2018), Australian cricketer
 * Cornelia Guest (born 1963), American socialite, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist
 * David Guest (1911–1938), British Communist mathematician and philosopher; killed in Spanish Civil War
 * David Guest (born 1981), Australian field hockey player
 * Douglas Guest (1916–1996), English organist, conductor, teacher, and composer
 * Edgar Guest (1881–1959), American poet
 * Edwin Guest (1800–1880), English antiquary
 * Ernest Lucas Guest (1882–1972), Rhodesian statesman, lawyer and soldier
 * Ernest Melville Charles Guest (1920–1943), Rhodesian-born RAF pilot of WWII, son of Ernest Lucas Guest
 * Frederick Edward Guest (1875–1937), British politician; MP; Secretary of State for Air; son of Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne
 * George Guest (disambiguation)
 * Geraldine Guest (1913–2006), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Gladstone Guest (1917–1998), English footballer
 * Glenda Guest (contemporary), Australian novelist
 * Harry Guest (born 1938), British poet
 * Henry Guest (1874–1957), British politician; son of Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne
 * Ivor Guest (disambiguation)
 * Jack Guest (1906–1972), Canadian Olympic rower
 * Jane Mary Guest (c. 1762–1846), English composer and pianist
 * Jean Haden-Guest, Lady Haden-Guest (1921-2017), American theatre director and television executive
 * Jim Guest (born 1940), American aerospace engineer and politician; state representative
 * Jo Guest (born 1972), English glamor model
 * John Guest (disambiguation)
 * Judith Guest (born 1936), American novelist and screenwriter
 * Kim Mai Guest (born 1969), American voice actress
 * Lady Charlotte Guest (1812–1895), English translator and businesswoman
 * Lance Guest (born 1960), American actor
 * Lennie Guest, Australian rugby league footballer
 * Matthew Guest (born 1983), Designer and Animator
 * Melville Guest (born 1943), former British diplomat and cricketer
 * Michael Guest (disambiguation)
 * Michael PA Guest (1944-present), British politician; 1st Mayor of Whitehaven Town Council, Cumbria
 * Montague Guest (1839–1909), British politician; son of John Joshua Guest
 * Nicholas Guest (born 1955), American actor
 * Oscar Guest (1888–1958), British politician; son of Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne
 * Paul Guest, American poet and memoirist
 * Raymond R. Guest (1907–1991), American businessman, race horse owner and polo player; son of Frederick Edward Guest
 * Richard Guest (born 1967), English artist and short story author
 * Rob Guest (1950–2008), British-born New Zealand-Australian actor and singer
 * Robert Guest, American journalist
 * Ruby Haden-Guest (born 1996), British-American computer gaming editor
 * Stephen Guest (contemporary), New Zealand-British barrister, Solicitor, Professor
 * Thomas B. Guest (1816–1884), Canadian politician from Ontario; provincial legislator
 * Thomas Douglas Guest (1781–1845), British artist
 * Tim Guest (1975–2009), English author and journalist
 * Tom Guest (born 1984), English rugby union player
 * Val Guest (1911–2006), British film director
 * William Guest (disambiguation)


 * British peers
 * Baron Haden-Guest
 * Leslie Haden-Guest, 1st Baron Haden-Guest (1877–1960), British author, journalist, doctor and politician
 * Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest (1913–1996), British peer
 * Christopher Guest (Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest) (born 1948), British-American comedian and actor
 * Guest family, descendants of John Guest (1722–1787), a manager of Dowlais Ironworks
 * Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne (1835–1914), British peer; son of John Josiah Guest: uncle-by-marriage of Winston Churchill
 * Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne (1873–1939), British politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; son of Ivor Bertie Guest
 * Ivor Guest, 2nd Viscount Wimborne (1903–1967), British politician


 * People named with other variants
 * Gest (surname)