Picou History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

The Picou family name derives from the Old French personal name Picot, or Pigot. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French word "piquet" which was a pointed stake or peg used militarily by the French Army c. 1695. Later the term pikemen was derived by the British Army in the mid 1700s.

Early Origins of the Picou family

The surname Picou was first found in Brittany where they held a family seat at Beauchesne, and as the line was the main stem of this aristocratic family which would emerge as Viscounts d'Vaulogé, it was there that branches were formed in Brittany, Maine and Austria. They were originally from Picot de Saio in Normandy and were recorded there in 1086. 2

Early History of the Picou family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Picou research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1651, 1708, 1720, 1734, 1781, 1791, 1813 and 1862 are included under the topic Early Picou History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Picou Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Picou is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Picot, Picott, Picotte, Pickot, Picout, Picoud, Picque, Picquet, Picquot and many more.

Early Notables of the Picou family

Notable amongst this name at this time was Eustache Picot (died 1651), a French musician and composer, sous-maître of the chapelle royale of Louis XIII. François Picquet (1708-1781) was a French Sulpician priest who emigrated to Montreal, Canada, in...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Picou Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Picou Ranking

In the United States, the name Picou is the 15,380^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Picou is ranked the 7,002^nd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 4

Picou migration to the United States +

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the French Acadian presence in the Maritimes had reached 500. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The family name Picou has made many distinguished contributions in France and New France to the world of science, culture, religion, and education. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Picou were

Picou Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Milton Picou, aged 28, arrived in New York, N.Y. in 1922 aboard the ship "Fort St. George" from Hamilton, Bermuda 5
Hermina S. Picou, aged 17, originally from Port of Spain, Trinidad, arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Vestris" from Trinidad, British West Indies 5
Enid A. Picou, aged 16, originally from Port of Spain, Trinidad, arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Vestris" from Trinidad, British West Indies 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Picou (post 1700) +

Alphonse Floristan Picou (1878-1961), important American very early jazz clarinetist
Jean Picou (b. 1963), French International skier
Jacques Picou (b. 1952), French professional footballer
Henri-Pierre Picou (1824-1895), French painter

Citations +

Dionne, N.-E., Les Canadiens-Francais Origine Des Familles. Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 1969. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result