Lesser History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe prestigious surname Lesser comes from the region of Provence, in France. The surname Lesser is of local origin, and is therefore a type of hereditary surname. Local surnames are derived either from an already existing place-name or from a local feature of the geography. Early Origins of the Lesser familyThe surname Lesser was first found in Provence, where this distinguished family held a family seat from ancient times. In 1552, Antoine Sardo became the Deputy of Mons at Draguignan. Antoine Sarde was a clerk and deputy of Mons at Fayence and Tourettes in 1554 and at Barjols in 1574. Distinctive members of the family were Jean, Father Superior of Saint-Marcelin in 1614, and Antoine Sardi, Treasurer in 1620. Throughout the centuries, this renowned family expanded, prospered and branched to various regions where they became prominent members of their respective communities. In Savoie for instance, Balthazard became the Chief Auditor in the Audit Office on October 19, 1622, and two noble members mentioned were, César on June 4, 1645 and Jean Antoine in 1665. In recognition of their invaluable contributions in defending their country, several members of the family were granted titles, lands and letters patent certifying their nobility. Among those honored were the Lord Vincent Sarde of Candie in 1728 and the Count J. Sarde in 1731. Etienne Lessard, born in 1623, travelled from Normandy (French: Normandie) to the New World in 1646. After settling in Quebec he was an ensign in the military at the Hill of Beaupré and he became co-lord of Lanoraie in 1668. He married Marguerite Sevestre on 8th April 1652 and they had 8 children, six sons and two daughters. Etienne passed away at the age of 80 and was buried at Sainte-Anne on 21st April 1703. His wife, Marguerite, passed away on 27th June 1720 and was buried at the same location as her husband. 1 Early History of the Lesser familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lesser research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1384, 1406, 1580, 1598, 1617, 1622, 1634, 1655, 1658 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Lesser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lesser Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Lessard, Lessart, Lessar, Lessarde, Lesart, Lesard, Lesser, Lesseir, Leser, Lezer, Lesarde, Lesar, Lezard, Lezzard, Lezart, Lezar, Lezarde, Lisart, Lizart, Sarde, Sardo and many more. Early Notables of the Lesser familyNotable amongst the names at this time was Hubert Le Sueur (c.1580-1658), a French sculptor with the contemporaneous reputation of having trained in Giambologna's Florentine workshop; Balthazard Sarde, Chief Auditor in the Audit Office in 1622; Jean Le... Lesser RankingIn the United States, the name Lesser is the 9,670th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Lesser Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Lesser Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Lesser Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Lesser Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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