Show ContentsChenay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Chenay family

The surname Chenay was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France where the family has been known from ancient times.

The family goes back to Louis Chenu in 1481. A branch of this family was established in the sixteenth century and goes back to Pierre, a horseman, who was also Lord of Charantonay in the French region of Berry and part of Ravières, Nuits-sous-Ravières, and Villiers-les-Haut in 1533. His son Claude, Lieutenant of fifty soldiers who was made a Knight of the King's Order, was killed at the siege of Poitiers in 1569.

Their descendants have carried the titles of Barons of Nuits-sous-Ravières and Fulvy. Other branches of the family were formed and were mostly represented by members who served in the military. One of the branches was even in charge of a military school in 1766. [1]

Early History of the Chenay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chenay research. The years 1601, 1662 and 1787 are included under the topic Early Chenay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chenay Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Chenu, Chenue, Chenus, Chenues, Chenou, Chenoue, Chenous, Chenoues, Chenoux, Chenut, Chenout, Chenuts, Chenouts, Chenud, Chenoud, Chenuds, Chenouds, de Chenu, du Chenu, Cheynous, Cheenu, Cheynue, Cheynut, Cheynou, Cheynoux, Chenoux, Chaynu, Cheynew, Chanew, Chanut, Chanuts, Shaynu and many more.

Early Notables of the Chenay family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Claude, Knight of the King's Order, killed at the siege of Poitiers; and Pierre Hector Chanut (1601-1662), French Ambassador and state counselor.François Chanot was the son of a violin-maker, born in 1787 at Mirecourt in France. He entered the army as an engineer under the Empire, but quitted it after the Restoration. Returning to Mirecourt, he made special studies on the construction of the violin, and ultimately built one which deviated considerably in form from the accepted pattern. Believing that, in order to make every part...
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chenay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Chenay migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chenay Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jean Chenay, aged 18, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 [2]

Canada Chenay migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Chenay Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Bertrand Chenay, son of Nicolas and Catherine, who married Élisabeth Aubert, daughter of Claude and Jacques, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 4th February 1671 [3]
  • Charles Chenay, son of Antoine and Anne, who married Françoise Loisel, daughter of Louis and Marguerite, in Boucherville, Quebec on 16th August 1689 [3]
Chenay Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean-Baptiste Chenay, son of Élisabeth Boucher, who married Élisabeth Boucher, daughter of Jean and Marie-Madeleine, in Sainte-Anne, Quebec on 8th July 1703 [3]
  • Charles Chenay, son of Jean-Baptiste and Élisabeth, who married Geneviève Dumats, daughter of Charles and Marthe, in Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, Quebec on 26th June 1736 [3]
  • Pierre Chenay, son of Jean-Baptiste and Élisabeth, who married Geneviève Coté, daughter of Joseph and Marie-Anne, in Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, Quebec on 11th September 1741 [3]
  • Ignace Chenay, son of Jean-Baptiste and Élisabeth, who married Marie-Angélique Hubert, daughter of Jean-Baptiste and Catherine, in Lotbinière, Quebec on 7th August 1741 [3]
  • Charles-Etienne Chenay, son of Charles and Geneviève, who married Marie-Louise Croteau, daughter of Jean-François and Geneviève-Louise, in Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, Quebec on 2nd February 1761 [3]


  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. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.


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