Bourdo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

The Bourdo name comes from that Medieval landscape of northwestern France known as Brittany. The name Bourdo was originally derived from the family having lived in Brittany.

Early Origins of the Bourdo family

The surname Bourdo was first found in Brittany (French: Bretagne), where the family held a family seat from ancient times.

The family first established itself as an important participant in the cultural and political events of the region in 1175. Eon Bourdin, an archer, was first registered in 1420 for his involvement in the liberation of an imprisoned duke. The family continued to prosper and eventually branched out into Normandy. The family line of Bourdon de La Croix was registered in the region both in 1423 and in 1535. Several members of the Bourdon family were subjects of the King's court at Alençon in the 17th century. Claude Bourdon, a squire and the Lord of Gruchy, was also a political adviser in Caen in 1700.

Jacques Bourdon, born in 1650, son of Jean and Magloire of St.Godard in Rouen, travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in Quebec he married Marie Menard, daughter of Jacques and Catherine, at Boucherville on 8th February 1672. 1

Early History of the Bourdo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bourdo research. The years 1597, 1601, 1616, 1642, 1668, 1671, 1700 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Bourdo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bourdo Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Bourdo is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Bourdon, Bourdin, Bourdine, Bourdonneau and many more.

Early Notables of the Bourdo family

Notable amongst this name at this time was

Jacques Bourdon, bailiff of the duchy of Elbeuf
Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671), French painter and drawer in the city of Montpellier
François Louis Bourdon, also known as Bourdon de l'Oise, a French revolutionary and public prosecutor at the parliament of Paris
Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671), a French painter and engraver
Jean Bourdon (c. 1601-1668), the first engineer-in-chief and land-surveyor in the colony of New France

Migration of the Bourdo 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 Bourdo 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 Bourdo were Jacques Bourdin, who settled in Quebec in 1665; Jacques Bourdon, who arrived in Louisiana in 1755; Michael Bourdine, who arrived in New York in 1801; Jean Bourdin, who settled in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1822.

Citations +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print