'arpenteur' originates from French, specifically the word 'arpenteur', where 'arpent' meant 'a measure of land' and the agent suffix '-eur' meant 'one who does'.

'arpenteur' changed from Old French forms related to 'arpenter' (to measure land) and was formed from 'arpent' (the land unit) plus the agentive suffix '-eur'; the term was borrowed into English in historical or regional contexts to denote a surveyor.

Initially, it meant 'one who measures land in arpents'; over time it evolved into the more general sense of 'surveyor' used in historical or regional descriptions.