Show ContentsPigeon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Pigeon family

The surname Pigeon was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where the family has existed since ancient times.

Early History of the Pigeon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pigeon research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Pigeon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pigeon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pigeon, Pidgeon, Pigon, Pigeond and others.

Early Notables of the Pigeon family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

  • Pigeon de Vierville of Normandy

Pigeon Ranking

In Quebec, Canada, the name Pigeon is the 468th most popular surname. 1 However, in France, the name Pigeon is ranked the 1,275th most popular surname with an estimated 4,423 people with that name. 2


United States Pigeon migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pigeon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joe Pigeon, who settled in Virginia in 1635
  • Jo Pigeon, aged 15, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
  • Mr. John Pigeon, (b. 1620), aged 15, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Safety" arriving in Virginia in 1635 4
Pigeon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Richard Pigeon, who landed in Virginia in 1714 3
  • Robert Pigeon, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 3
  • Eliza Pigeon, who landed in Virginia in 1714 3
  • Adrien Pigeon, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 3
  • James Pigeon, who arrived in America in 1765 3
Pigeon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew Pigeon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 3
  • Catherine Pigeon, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 3
  • Edward Pigeon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 3

Canada Pigeon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pigeon Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Pierre Pigeon, who arrived in Montreal in 1662
  • Pierre Pigeon, son of Claude and Françoise, who married Jeanne Godart, daughter of Robert and Antoinette, in Montreal, Quebec on 20th November 1662 5
  • François Pigeon, son of Pierre and Jeanne, who married Madeleine Étienne, daughter of Philippe and Marie, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec on 15th October 1697 5
Pigeon Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Louis Pigeon, son of Pierre and Jeanne, who married Agnès Coron, daughter of Jean and Anne-Michelle, in Montreal, Quebec on 7th January 1702 5
  • François Pigeon, son of François and Madeleine, who married Anne-Marguerite Picard, daughter of Jacques and Marie-Anne, in Longue-Pointe, Quebec on 16th June 1732 5
  • Louis-Basile Pigeon, son of Louis and Agnès, who married Marie-Josephte Gautier, daughter of Pierre and Marie-Anne, in Montreal, Quebec on 22nd October 1736 5
  • Barthélemi Pigeon, son of Louis and Agnès, who married Marie-Josephte Turcot, daughter of Jean and Marie-Anne, in Sault-au-Récollet, Quebec on 16th January 1741 5
  • Joseph Pigeon, son of Louis and Agnès, who married Charlotte Rivet, daughter of Michel and Marie-Hélène, in Verchères, Quebec on 22nd July 1748 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Pigeon migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Pigeon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Pigeon, (b. 1793), aged 24, Irish labourer who was convicted in County Laois (Queens County), Ireland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 25th May 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1847 6
  • Jane Pigeon, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Eliza" 7
  • Jane Pigeon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Eliza" in 1849 7

New Zealand Pigeon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Pigeon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Pigeon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Solent" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th July 1857 8
  • Mrs. Pigeon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Solent" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th July 1857 8
  • Child Pigeon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Solent" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th July 1857 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Pigeon (post 1700) +

  • Roger W. Pigeon, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 1956 9
  • Robert J. Pigeon, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Connecticut, 1948 9
  • G. Steven Pigeon, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1984, 1988, 2000; Presidential Elector for New York, 1996, 2000 9
  • Elizabeth West Pigeon, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1924, 1928, 1940, 1944 9
  • Augustus Pigeon, American Republican politician, Mayor of Central Falls, Rhode Island, 1909-10 9
  • Gilles Pigeon (b. 1931), Quebec doctor, Professor of Medecine at the Université de Montréal (1965-1969) and Officer of the Order of Quebec (2000)
  • Louis-Joseph Pigeon (1923-1993), Quebec politician, member of Parliament for Joliette-L'Assomption Montcalm in the House of Commons (1958-1965)
  • Michel Pigeon (b. 1945), Quebec engineer, Professor at the Université de Laval à Québec
  • Louis-Philippe Pigeon (b. 1905), Quebec lawyer and politician, professor at l' Université Laval (1942-1967), who was made a Compagnon of the Order of Canada (1980)


  1. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 5th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  5. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  6. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 20th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Eliza.htm
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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