Show ContentsBoulleaux History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Boulleaux surname is generally thought to derived from the Old French word "boul", denoting a type of birch tree. As a name it was likely first used by someone living near such trees, or perhaps from a place with a name derived from the tree name. It has also been suggested that some instances of the Boulleaux name find their roots in the French word "boule," which means "ball." In this case the name was likely originally a nickname for someone of a rotund shape. La Boulaye is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. Fort De La Boulaye, also known as Mississippi Fort, was a fort built by the French in 1700, to take control over the Mississippi. Native Americans forced the French to vacate the fort by 1707.

Early Origins of the Boulleaux family

The surname Boulleaux was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where the family first originated, maintaining their status as one of the more distinguished families of the region. Simon Boulet, squire and Lord of Crahan, first registered the family coat of arms in Bayeux in 1696. The family prospered and branched out into other regions in France such as Poitou, Aunis, and Saintonge. 1

Robert Boulet, born in 1630, married Françoise Grenier, born in 1634, in France in 1657. Robert and Françoise, along with their daughter, Jacqueline, travelled from La Rochelle, France to Quebec, Canada in 1662. They remained together in Quebec until Robert's death on 24th March 1707. Françoise passed away two years later on 29th January 1709. 2

Early History of the Boulleaux family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boulleaux research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1669, 1672, 1678, 1728, 1732, 1761, 1773, 1799, 1840, 1861 and 1942 are included under the topic Early Boulleaux History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boulleaux Spelling Variations

Most surnames have experienced slight spelling changes. A son may not chose to spell his name the same way that his father did. Many were errors, many deliberate. During the early development of the French language, a person usually gave his version, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. Prefixes or suffixes varied. They were optional as they passed through the centuries, or were adopted by different branches to signify either a political or religious adherence. Hence, there a many spelling variations of the name Boulleaux, including Boulet, du Boulet, Boulez, Boullet, Boullée, Bouley, Boulay, Boullay, Bouletot, Boulot, Boullot, Boulais, Bouloy, Bouloi, Boulois, Duboulay, Dubouloy, Boul, Boule, Boulle, Boulles, Bouleau, Boulleau and many more.

Early Notables of the Boulleaux family

Notable amongst the family in this period was César-Egasse du Boulay (died 1678), known as Bulaeus, a French historian; André Charles Boulle (1642-1732), French cabinetmaker who became one of the most important suppliers...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boulleaux Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boulleaux family

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 Boulleaux 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 Boulleaux were Bridgett Boulle, age 32, who arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1637; James Boullay, who arrived in Maryland in 1680; Germain Boulle, age 35, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719.



  1. Hozier, Charles D, and Antoine Bachelin-Delforenne. État présent De La Noblesse française (1883-1887): Contenant Le Distionnaire De La Noblesse Contemporaine Et Larmorial général De France, Dapres Les Manuscrits De Ch. D Hozier. Librairie Des Bibliophiles, 1884. Print.
  2. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print


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