Polite Family History
Polite Name Meaning
French: from a short form of the personal name Hypolite . This surname is very rare in France. In North America it (also) originated from a transferred use of a shortened form of the French personal (given) name Hypolite as a surname (i.e. as a replacement of the original surname). In the US it is most common in SC and GA where it is found mainly among African Americans. Compare Politte .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022