Show ContentsBareau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Bareau family goes back to the Medieval landscape of northern France, to that coastal region known as Normandy. Bareau is a habitation name, derived from the place name Barrault, in Normandy. [1]

Early Origins of the Bareau family

The surname Bareau was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where they held a family seat in the village of Charente in the arrondissement de Chatelle Rault. [2]

"Formerly the Carmelites were called the Barred Brothers, because of their clothes. Du Cange says that barette is the noun of the verb bareter, to exchange, to trade. Moisy says that in Normandy the name of churn to the churn to make butter is given." [2]

Early History of the Bareau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bareau research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1658, 1706, 1711, 1804 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Bareau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bareau Spelling Variations

Throughout the course of history most surnames have undergone changes for many reasons. During the early development of the French language, a son and father may not have chosen to spell their name the same way. Many are simple spelling changes by a person who gave his name, phonetically, to a scribe, priest, or recorder. Many names held prefixes or suffixes which became optional as they passed through the centuries, or were adopted by different branches to signify either a political or religious adherence. Hence, we have many spelling variations of this name, Bareau some of which are Baratte, Barate, Barat, Barrat, Barat, Baraud, Barraud, Barrault, Barault, Bareau, Barreau, Barau, Barrau, Barou, Barrou, Barot, Barrot, Barott, Barrott, Barrotte, Barotte, Barratt, Barrat, Baratt, Barre, Barry, Barrett, Barrette, Barret, Barett, Barrit, Barritt, Barritte, Barre and many more.

Early Notables of the Bareau family

Notable amongst the family in this period was Claude Barrat (c. 1658-c.1711), a French notary and a clerk of the court in Placentia (Plaisance), Newfoundland; and Nicolas Barat (died 1706), a French Catholic scholar of Hebrew works. Apollon Marie-Rose Barret was...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bareau Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Canada Bareau migration to Canada +

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 Bareau 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 Bareau were

Bareau Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Pierre Bareau, who landed in Montreal in 1653
Bareau Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Francois Bareau, aged 22, who arrived in Quebec in 1702


The Bareau 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: Pour bien desirer
Motto Translation: For wishing well.


  1. 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)
  2. Dionne, N.-E., Les Canadiens-Francais Origine Des Familles. Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 1969. Print


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