Vautour is a French surname with a fascinating origin. It’s derived from the French word “vautour,” which means “vulture.” The name falls into the category of surnames based on animals or birds, which were often given as nicknames in medieval times.

The surname Vautour could have originated in several ways:

1. As a nickname for someone who was thought to resemble a vulture in some way, perhaps in appearance or behavior.
2. As an occupational name for a falconer who worked specifically with vultures or similar birds of prey.
3. As a name for someone who lived in an area known for vultures.

Vautour is not a particularly common surname. It’s most likely to be found in France and French-speaking regions of Canada, particularly Quebec, where many French surnames have been preserved due to historical immigration patterns.

The vulture, while often negatively perceived in Western culture, has more positive associations in some other cultures. In ancient Egypt, for example, vultures were associated with purification, motherhood, and protection. However, in the context of French and broader European culture, the name might have originally carried connotations of keen-sightedness or being observant, traits associated with vultures.