Michaux History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

The history of the Michaux name began during the Middle Ages in a region once known as Languedoc. The French name is derived from the ancient given name Michael, meaning one who is like God.

Early Origins of the Michaux family

The surname Michaux was first found in Languedoc where this renowned family held a family seat since ancient times.

During the 1700 and 1800's, the family formed two branches and members established themselves throughout France. Antoine Des Micheaux sent a letter, on December 16, 1650, to Charles De Rohan, the Marshal of France and Prince of Soubise, regarding the lands possessed by his House since 1603. At the time of the French Revolution, Jean-Antoine was admitted to the Noble Assembly of Villeneuve-de-Berg.

An active member in the political forums of his times, Charles-Flavien Des Micheaux was a Judge at the Tribunal of Commerce, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and an Administrator of the Justice department during the 1800's. Two important members of this noble family were Pierre and his son, Ernest, who invented the chain wheel bicycle in 1861.

Early History of the Michaux family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Michaux research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1390, 1500, 1509, 1635, 1739 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Michaux History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Michaux Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of French surnames; in part, as spelling, and the spelling names was not yet standardized during the early development of the written French language. Later, there was much branching and movement of families, and spellings would change according to region. Variations of the name Michaux include Micheaux, Micheau, Michau, Michaud, Michaux, Michault, Micheault, Michoult, Micho, Michot, Michos, Mycheaux, Mycheau, Mychau, Mychaux, Des Micheaux, Des Mycheaux, Mychaud, Des Michaux and many more.

Early Notables of the Michaux family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Pierre and Ernest Michaux, Inventors during the 1800's

Michaux Ranking

In France, the name Michaux is the 843^rd most popular surname with an estimated 6,074 people with that name. 1

Michaux migration to the United States +

French settlers came early to North American, following in the wake of the explorers, and creating New France. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain is said to have been the first American site founded as a permanent settlement, rather than as just a commercial outpost. But emigration was slow, in 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 French people in Quebec, and by 1663, when the region was officially made The Royal Colony of New France, by Louis XIV, there still only around 500 settlers. Over 2,000 would arrive during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted immigrants, both noble and commoner from France. By 1675, there were around 7000 French in the colony, and by that same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Despite the loss of the Colony to England, the French people flourished in Lower Canada. Among settlers to North America of the Michaux surname were

Michaux Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Abraham Michaux, who settled in Virginia with his wife, four boys and six girls in 1714
Abraham Michaux, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 2
John Michaux, who settled in Charleston in 1796

Contemporary Notables of the name Michaux (post 1700) +

Henry M. Michaux Jr. (b. 1930), American politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives, 1973-77, 1985-; U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, 1977-81
Antoine Michaux, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 3
Pierre Michaux (1813-1883), French blacksmith, founder of "Michaux et Cie", early manufacturer of bicycles
Henri Michaux (1899-1984), Belgian-French writer
André Michaux (1746-1803), French botanist and explorer

Citations +

http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, April 29) Antoine Michaux. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html