Show ContentsGingras History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gingras family

The surname Gingras was first found in Poitou, a part of Aquitane, where the family has been a prominent family for centuries, and held a family seat with lands and manor. The family were well established in the region of the Vienne and several members of the family distinguished themselves through their contributions toward the community in which they lived and were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility. They held a family seat from ancient times at La Rochelle.

Sebastien Gingras, born in 1637, son of Hilaire and Françoise of St.Lo in La Rochelle, travelled from France to the New World at the end of the 17th century. After arriving in Quebec he married Marie-Geneviève Guillebout, daughter of CHarles and Françoise, on 17th November 1665. They settled together at Saint-François-Xavier, Quebec. [1]

Early History of the Gingras family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gingras research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1665 is included under the topic Early Gingras History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gingras Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gingras, Gingrais, Gingraix, Gaingras, Gaingrais, Gaingrais, Gêngras and many more.

Early Notables of the Gingras family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • the Gingras family of Poitou

Gingras World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gingras is the 9,694th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [2] However, in Canada, the name Gingras is ranked the 330th most popular surname with an estimated 13,677 people with that name. [3] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Gingras is the 123rd popular surname. [4]


United States Gingras migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gingras Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Gingras, who arrived with his wife and children in Michigan in 1885
  • E. Charles Gingras, who was naturalized in Pennsylvania in 1886

Canada Gingras migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gingras Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Sébastien Gingras, son of Hylaire and Françoise, who married Marie Guillebout, daughter of Charles and Françoise, in Quebec on 17th November 1665 [5]
  • Charles Gingras, who was married in 1675 in Québec city
  • Charles Gingras, son of Hylaire and Françoise, who married Françoise Amiot, daughter of Mathieu and Marie, in Quebec on 5th November 1675 [5]
Gingras Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean Gingras, son of Charles and Françoise, who married Madeleine Lefebvre, daughter of Simon and Marie-Charlotte, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec on 17th February 1705 [5]
  • Joseph Gingras, son of Sébastien and Marie, who married Marie-Thérèse Massé, daughter of Pierre and Catherine-Jacqueline, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on 20th February 1708 [5]
  • Mathieu Gingras, son of Charles and Françoise, who married Hélène Coutancineau, daughter of Pierre and Marie-Françoise, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec on 17th April 1708 [5]
  • Pierre-Jacques Gingras, son of Charles and Françoise, who married Anne Hamel, daughter of Charles and Angélique, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on 13th November 1716 [5]
  • Joseph Gingras, son of Charles and Françoise, who married Marie-Anne Tinon, daughter of Charles and Marie-Anne, in Saint-Augustin, Quebec on 14th November 1718 [5]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gingras (post 1700) +

  • Michelle Gingras, Sports Broadcaster
  • Michèle Gingras, clarinetist and Professor of music at the University of Miami
  • René Gingras (b. 1938), Canadian politician
  • Pierre Gingras, Canadian politician
  • Maxime Gingras (b. 1978), Canadian ice hockey player
  • Gustave Gingras (1918-1996), Canadian physician
  • Gaston Gingras (b. 1959), Canadian ice hockey player


  1. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  5. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.


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