Show ContentsLetelliere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the French names to come from Normandy, Letelliere is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in Normandy.

Early Origins of the Letelliere family

The surname Letelliere was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where this distinguished family held a family seat at St. Victor and Hauterocque as members of the aristocracy of that region. The name was derived from the word "telier," and denoted a tradesman of a linen weaver. 1

Early History of the Letelliere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Letelliere research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1614, 1641, 1642, 1675, 1677, 1685, 1691, 1695, 1702, 1710, 1718, 1771, 1844 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Letelliere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Letelliere 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 Letelliere, including Tellier, Telier, Telliere, Teliere, Le Tellier, Le Teliere, Le Telliere, Le Telier, Letellier, Letelier, Letelliere and many more.

Early Notables of the Letelliere family

Notable amongst the family in this period was Michel le Tellier (1603-1685), French statesman, Chancellor of France (1677) and Secretary of State for War; François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois (1641-1691), French politician, Secretary of State for War; Louis Charles César Le Tellier (1695-1771) known as the Duke of Estrées, a French military commander and Marshal of France; Pierre Le Tellier...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Letelliere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Letelliere family

By 1643 there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Since immigration was slow, early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The distinguished family name Letelliere has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Letelliere were John Tellier who landed in America in 1686; Jean Tellier settled in Louisiana in 1752; Michel Tellier settled in Louisiana in 1719; Antoine Letellier arrived in Quebec in 1726 from Ile-de-France.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.


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