I believe they are native to the island of New Guinea. The pig part may originate from observation of the placement of the eyes on the face is resemblant to that of a pig snount.

They are not from New Guinea. Their origins are from South America. From the Old World to the New The cavy - or to use it's more common name the guinea pig - is today one of the world's most popular pets, ranking only a little way behind the rabbit. They've been around for a long, long time - fossil records of the guinea pig's existence date back to the Miocene period over 18 million years ago! In August 2003 archeologists in Venezuela discovered the fossilized remains of a huge guinea pig like creature called Phoberomys Pattersoni, which grew to around 9ft long and lived around 8 million years ago! (To find out more click here). It's original home was in the savannahs of northern South America. Before the colonisation of the Americas by Europeans, the Incas had first begun to domesticate cavies as both religious icons and as a source of food from around 500 BC. In many villages in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia cavies are still kept today as a source of food. Fed on scraps and becoming food themselves when plump enough, as this mountainous region has little space available for the raising of cattle, as many as 7 million guinea pigs are eaten each year in Peru. However, they were not bred by the Incas only for food. In Peru guinea pigs have a hallowed place in native folklore. Legend holds that guinea pigs are mystical beings that can heal the sick and assist the dying in the journey from the world of the living to the great beyond... yet another good reason to make sure that your domestic pets are happy and comfortable! The wild ancestors of the guinea pig look very different to the colourful varieties which we know today as domestic pets. Their coats show a greyish agouti patterning similar to that of the wild rabbit and this coat provides them with a good level of camouflage. Little is known for certain about how guinea pigs were first introduced to Europe and North America as a domestic pet, but the most likely they came during the 16th century. As early as 1554 the Swiss zoologist Konrad Gesner wrote "On the Indian Rabbit or Piglet"... originally people had assumed that Columbus had actually discovered a new sea route to India and therefore everything that came from the New World was "Indian". At this time Holland, Portugal and Spain had colonies in South America and the explorers returned to Europe rich with gold and precious gems, along with other exotic and exciting finds from the New World. Colourful parrots became very popular status symbols in the homes of the wealthy, and it is probable that with them came the guinea pig and other animals previously unknown in Europe. It is said that Queen Elizabeth I of England had a guinea pig of which she was enamoured, and what was accepted by her no doubt soon became an essential fashion accessory for everyone in her court! Selective breeding of guinea pigs began in Europe and spread to North America during the 1920s when fanciers began exhibiting their pets in competitions. The popularity of these animals continues to grow and a quick search around the internet shows clubs and cavy websites the whole world over form Japan to Canada and from Sweden to Australia! Why call them Guinea Pigs? The origins of the guinea pig's name are also lost in history and again there have been various theories put forward... Guinea pigs are found, among other places, in the South American country of Guyana which was a Dutch colony in the 16th century and the name could be a corruption of Guyana. Another explanation could be that they originally changed hands at the cost of a guinea (twenty-one shillings in pre-decimalised British money)... a princely sum in those days! As for the "pig" end of the name, an explanation is much easier to guess... the rounded rear end is so similar and they run and squeal much as little piglets do! The guinea pig's contribution to science Guinea pigs have also played a very important role in the field of medical research, and although most pet lovers today may cringe at the thought of animals being used in laboratory research the the historic and important contribution of guinea pigs to science cannot be overlooked. Guinea pigs are often used as a metaphor for any subject of scientific experimentation (eg. "human guinea pigs"), and this idea persists even though guinea pigs are no longer commonly used as modern experimental animals, as rats and mice (which breed quicker) have replaced them. In 1890 the antitoxin for diphtheria was discovered using guinea pigs in the research, and as a result the lives of millions of children have been saved. The guinea pig's wide variety of hair types and colours have also made them a prime choice for studies of genetics and heredity. During the 20th century a special strain of smooth-coated white guinea pigs called Duncan-Hartley were bred specifically for laboratory work. Sources: * "Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide" by Myra Mahoney * "A New Owners Guide to Guinea Pigs" by Karen Bawoll * "The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Small Pets and Petcare" by David Alderton * "Rodents of the World" by David Alderton For a more detailed and academic account of cavy history, try Michael S.Forstadt's History of the Guinea Pig webpage. http://www.comfycavies.com/Info/History/History.htm

They came from the island of New Guinea. Easy.

Because it was decreed from times long ago that someone would have to carry the burden and play the role of "guinea pig". As the decision was being considered oh so long ago by our early ancestors, what looked like a rat ran by. The ancient man picked up the creature and cried, "Look, I found our volunteer".

The Guinea pig is a native of the andes region of south America. why it might be called a pig is unknown, unless it refers to its general shape which is pig-like. The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is even harder to explain. According to the etymology of the entry for "guinea pig" in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, the term guinea pig is "Perhaps [an] alteration (influenced by Guinea, used as a name for any faraway unknown country) of Guiana".[3] One theory is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. Another theory suggests the "guinea" in the name is a corruption of "Guiana", an area in South America. A common misconception is that they were so named because they were sold as the closest thing to a pig one could get for a guinea.

They came from the South American island of New Guinea.

I'm not quite sure. It has nothing to do with them being from guinea and they aren't pigs. "The cavy's are rodents native to the Andes, and while no longer extant in the wild, they are closely related to several species that are commonly found in the grassy plains and plateaus of the region. The guinea pig plays an important role in the folk culture of many indigenous South American groups, especially as a food source, but also in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies.[1] Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to increase consumption of the animal outside South America.[2]" -According to Wikipedia- English search "guinea pigs"

They do not from Guinea or New Guinea or even French Guinea, the "guinea" comes from the fact that they sold for a guinea, slang for a gold coin. Because of this they were pets of the wealthy. The pig part comes from the squealing sound they make.

Because 'rats' was already taken yo...