First found in Normandy where they were anciently seated at Aigneaux in the diocese of Coutances in Rouen, and were members of the aristocracy of that region. The first of this name on record was Herbert D'Aigneaux who was descended from the Vicomte Caen in the Cotentin. The family gave its name to the parish of Aigneaux. It is assumed that Herbert joined the Duke of Normandy in his conquest of England in 1066 A.D. Sometime before 1074 Herbert sold part of his estates to Bishop Odo of Bayeux, and also purchased other lands from Corbin, his son. The Aigneaux family had a very important barony consisting of many fiefs along the River Lavire for seven miles, together with St.-Contest at Amfreville on the island of Marie. They were the benefactors of many religious establishments.

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec, in 1663 there were only 500, 2,000 migrants arrived 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 migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Migration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the 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. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many distinguished contributions have been made by members of this family name Dague. It has been prominent in the arts, religion, politics and culture in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Dague were Jean Daignault settled in Quebec in 1665 from Brittany; Claude Denault arrived in Quebec in 1686 from Ile-de-France; Jacques Denault arrived in Quebec in 1740 from Normandy.

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