Originally know as Armorica, ancient Brittany was inhabited by the Celtic Tribes of Veneti, Curiovolitae and the Asismii in the 3RD century B.C The name Goularte is believed to have originated in France. In the 4Th century the Roman General Maximus, preparing to leave England to return to Rome, included 6,000 Britons under their leader Prince Conan, son of the King of Wales and Albany, to occupy Brittany. Costantine, King of Brittany was the grandfather of the celebrated King Arthur of England.

     In the 6Th century the Dukes of Brittany also became the Counts of Cornwall in the south west of England. In the 9Th century the Dukes of Anjou, neighbors to the south, intermarried with the Princesses of Brittany. In the 10Th century the Dukes of Brittany also intermarried into the house of Dukes of Normandy. The name Goularte was first found in Brittany, where the family was seated in ancient times.

     Most surnames have experienced slight spelling changes. A son may not choose to spell his name the same way that his father did. Many were errors, many deliberate. Usually a person gave his version, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. Prefixes or suffixes varied. They were optional as they passed through the centuries, or were adopted by different branches to signify either a political or religious adherence. Hence, we have variations in your name, Goularte some of which are Goulet, Gouley, Coulette, Goulain, Goulaine, de Goulaine, Goulard, Goullard, Goulart, Gouliard, Goulin, Gouline, Goulinat, Goulineau. Goulinaud, Goulinault, all are derived from the basic origin of the surname.

     The 10Th century Brittany reflected a closer relationship to the newly formed Dukedom of Normandy on their eastern borders. Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany married Hawise, daughter of Richard ND, Duke of Normandy in 1002 A.D Popular names among the Dukes of Brittany at this time was Alain, Geoffrey and Etienne.

     The dispute which arose between the Kings of England and the Kings of France for absolute rule over Brittany emerged as the focal conflict during the next two or three centuries. The Duke of Normandy, now King of England, claimed Brittany and Normandy. King Henry of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine and thus acquired most of north and western France. In 1365, Brittany renewed relations with France. Brittany was finally annexed by the French Crown in 1532 and reverted to a duchy.

     The name Goularte is found in Brittany, where this family was in possession of the properties of Goulaine, to the east of Nantes. During the Middle Ages the branches of the family became more prominent and achieved acclaim through their valuable and constant contributions to their respective communities. Members of the Goulaine family were the founders of churches in the seventeen parishes between Nantes and Clisson. Marcis de Goulaine made a donation to Saint-Martin-de-Vertou, near the year 1120, of the tithes of the Chapelle-Heulin and Sainte-Radegonde-de-Goulaine. His two sons entered, thereby, into the Benedictine abbey as monks. Jean was count of Nantes in 1149 and governor of Nantes in 1158. In 1248, a member of this family became a knight taking part in the crusades of the time. The family mansion was reconstructed in the 15Th century. Simon Goulart (1543-1628) was a scholar, a minister, a Protestant theologian, and the author of many works, such as "Petits Memoirs de la Ligue (1590-99)" and "Histoire de la guerre de Geneve avec le duc de Savoie, de 1589," among many others. His son, Simon Goulart (1576-1628), was also a Protestant theologian. The family's nobility status was reaffirmed on April 13, 1669, on the proof of ten generations. This family increased its prominence, especially through alliances with important families. Alphonse, marquis of Goulaine, married Charlotte de Bethune-Sully in 1867. Notable among the family name at this time was Jean Goulin (1728-1799), a scholar and a physician in France during the 18Th century; Nicolas Goulet (1742-1820), a well known architect in Paris.

     France became aware of her European leadership in the early 16Th century. The New World beckoned. The explorers led missionaries to North America settlements along the eastern seaboard including New France, New England, New Holland, and New Spain. Jacques Cartier made the first of three voyages to New France in 1534. Champlain came in 1608. His plans for developing Quebec fell far short of the objectives of the Company of New France. Champlain brought the first true migrant, Louis Hebert, a Parisian apothecary, and his family, who arrived in 1617.

     In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both nobel and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17Th and 18Th centuries.

     By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Arcadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Arcadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada.

     Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Goularte were Elzear Goulaet, who was a Metis in Quebec in the 1700's; M. Goulard, who was living in Fort Louis de la Mobile in Louisiana, in 1711; M. Goulain, who settled with his wife and his two children, in Natchez, Louisiana in 1722; Geo Goulart, who settled in Boston in 1822, at the age of 40; and Moses Gouley, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1856. The distinguished family name, Goularte, has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France; Michel Goulet, a professional hockey player (NHL), Quebec; Robert Gerard Goulet, singer and actor, Las Vegas; Victor N. Goulet, holding company executive, San Diego, California.