Show ContentsGagne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Gagne surname is thought to come from the Old French word "gagner", which meant to "till" or "cultivate" the land. As such, the name Gagne was likely originally an occupational name for a farmer or cultivator. The more popular spelling Gagné or Gagne literally translates from French as "earn" or "win."

Gannes is a commune in the Oise department in northern France and today Gagny is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It was originally part of the department of Seine-et-Oise. [1]

Early Origins of the Gagne family

The surname Gagne was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France where the family held a family seat from ancient times.

This family were well established throughout the many provinces of France and several members were rewarded for their work and interest in the matters of their communities with lands, titles and letters patent elevating them to nobility. Distinctive positions held by members of this family include, Counselor and President of Parliament in 1645, 1674, 1675 and 1715, Captain of the Guards and Priest of Châtillon and of Livry. Another branch of this noble family were the Barons of Pouilly and of this branch, Jean-Baptiste became the President at the Financial Chamber in 1685.

Brothers, Pierre Gagne, born in 1610, and Louis, born in 1612, sons of Louis and Marie (née Launay), settled in Canada in 1643. Pierre married in France in 1639 to Marguerite Rouzée, daughter of Jehan and Catherine, and they had one son, Jacques. Pierre died of a fever and was buried in Quebec on 1st May 1656.

Louis Gagne married Marie Michel, daughter of Pierre and Louise, in France in 1638. Louis and Marie settled together in Quebec until his death in 1662. [2]

Early History of the Gagne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gagne research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1576, 1579, 1611, 1670, 1685, 1703 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Gagne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gagne Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gagne, Gagnes, Gane, Gaine, Gaigne, Geigne, Geygne, Gaygne, De Gagne, De Gagnes, DesGagne, Des Gagne, Desgagne, desGagne, Gagny, Gagnay, Gagnais, Gagney, Gagneais, Gagnet, Gagnau, Gaigne, Gaignet, Gaigney, Gaigny and many more.

Early Notables of the Gagne family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Jean-Baptiste Gagne, President of the Financial Chamber in 1685

Gagne World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gagne is the 1,801st most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. [3] However, in Canada, the name Gagne is ranked the 44th most popular surname with an estimated 40,598 people with that name. [4] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Gagne is the 10th popular surname. [5] France ranks Gagne as 3,022nd with 2,000 - 2,500 people. [6]


United States Gagne migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gagne Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jean Baptiste Gagne, who settled in South Carolina in 1763 with his wife and their three children
  • Jean Baptiste Gagne, who landed in South Carolina in 1763 [7]
Gagne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Louis Gagne, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1821 [7]
  • Louis Gagne, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans in 1821
  • Louis Gagne who settled in New Orleans in 1821

Canada Gagne migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gagne Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Louis Gagne, son of Pierre and Marguerite, who married Louise Picard, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Sainte-Anne-du-Nord, Quebec on 4th October 1673 [8]
  • Louis Gagne, son of Louis and Marie, who married Marie Gagnon, daughter of Jean and Marguerite, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 9th February 1678 [8]
  • Ignace Gagne, son of Louis and Marie, who married Barbe Dodier, daughter of Jacques and Catherine, in Sainte-Anne, Quebec on 5th November 1680 [8]
  • Joachim Gagne, son of Louis and Marie, who married Louise Marcoux, daughter of Pierre and Marthe, in Beauport, Quebec on 12th January 1682 [8]
  • Ignace Gagne, son of Louis and Marie, who married Louise Tremblay, daughter of Pierre and Ozanne, in L'Ange-Gardien, Quebec on 6th November 1689 [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gagne Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Alexis Gagne, son of Louis and Louise, who married Catherine Cloutier, daughter of René and Marie, in Islet, Quebec on 24th April 1702 [8]
  • Dominique Gagne, son of Olivier and Isabelle, who married Madeleine Butaud, daughter of Pierre and Pérette, in Saint-François-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 5th July 1706 [8]
  • Jean-Baptiste Gagne, son of Olivier and Isabelle, who married Claire Butaud, daughter of Pierre and Perette, in Saint-François-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 5th July 1706 [8]
  • Jean-Baptiste Gagne, son of Joachim and Louise, who married Marie-Françoise Marchet, daughter of Jean and Marie-Jeanne, in Quebec on 7th January 1708 [8]
  • François Gagne, son of Pierre and Louise, who married Élisabeth Langlois, daughter of Jean and Françoise-Charlotte, in Islet, Quebec on 7th January 1709 [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gagne (post 1700) +

  • Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne (1926-2015), American professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter
  • Robert Mills Gagne (1916-2002), American educational psychologist
  • Robert Mills Gagné (1916-2002), American educational psychologist, President of the American Educational Research Association (1970-1971)
  • Valmore G. Gagne, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Hampshire, 1940 [9]
  • Peter M. Gagne, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Hampshire, 1932; U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue for New Hampshire, 1941-46 [9]
  • Paul Gagne, American Republican politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Manchester 12th Ward, 1938 [9]
  • Michael Gagne, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Hawaii 2nd District, 2002, 2003 [9]
  • Mary J. Gagne, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Hampshire, 1924 [9]
  • James A. Gagné, American Republican politician, Candidate for Massachusetts State House of Representatives First Franklin District, 2002 [9]
  • Edward Gagne, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Androscoggin County, 1921-22 [9]
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

SS Caribou
  • Miss Louise Gagne, Newfoundland passenger from Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking


The Gagne Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Recalcitrantem Cogo
Motto Translation: Stron force


Suggested Readings for the name Gagne +

  • Genealogy of the French-Canadian Family Lines of Papineau, Dontigny-Lucas, Gaudin (Godin), Gagne by Dorothy May Knudsen Chandler.

  1. Dionne, N.-E., Les Canadiens-Francais Origine Des Familles. Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 1969. Print
  2. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  5. "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
  6. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  7. 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)
  8. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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