Show ContentsBonnaud History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of notable family names, including that of the distinguished Bonnaud family. Originally, the people in this region went by one (personal) name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. These names then began to become "fixed" or hereditary between the generations. One of the types of names adopted as surnames were those derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name, and generally reflected some physical characteristics or other attribute of the first person that used the name. The Bonnaud surname derives from the Old French term of endearment "bonye," meaning "the good little one." It has also been suggested that the surname stems from the medieval personal name Bonellus.

Early Origins of the Bonnaud family

The surname Bonnaud was first found in Lorraine, where they held a family seat from very early times in the arrondisement of Meuse.

Early History of the Bonnaud family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonnaud research. Another 449 words (32 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1668, 1703, 1720, 1765 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Bonnaud History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bonnaud Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bonneau, Bonneault, Bonnet, Bonnaud and others.

Early Notables of the Bonnaud family

More information is included under the topic Early Bonnaud Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bonnaud Ranking

In France, the name Bonnaud is the 976th most popular surname with an estimated 5,362 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Bonnaud family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Claude Bonnet, who settled in Louisiana in 1758; Daniel Bonnet with his wife Jeane settled in New York State in 1700; Jacques Bonnet settled in Philadelphia with his family in 1733..


Contemporary Notables of the name Bonnaud (post 1700) +

  • Jacques Philippe Bonnaud, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 2
  • Brigadier-General Armand Bonnaud (1886-1956), French Commanding Officer during World War II 3
  • Pierre Bonnaud (1865-1930), French artist


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Jacques Bonnaud. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
  3. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 3) Armand Bonnaud. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bonnaud/Armand-Pierre-Marie/France.html


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