Show ContentsVashon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • France
Vashon Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Vashon

What does the name Vashon mean?

During that dark period of history known as the Middle Ages, the name of Vashon was first used in France. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in France, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Vashon family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Vashon was an occupational name for a cowherd. Originally the name Vashon was derived from the Old French word "vache," meaning "cow." 1

Early Origins of the Vashon family

The surname Vashon was first found in Dauphiny (French: Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois), a former province in southeastern France, where this eminent family held a family seat in the honour of the seigneurie of St. Etienne.

They became important contributors in political and diplomatic circles, and were raised to the nobility as the Marquis de Belmont. In Lyon they were also raised to the seigneurie. In Quebec Archbishop Alexandre Vachon made important contributions to the emerging identity of New France.

Paul Vachon, born in 1630, son of Vincent and Sapience, travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in Quebec he married Marguerite Langlois, born on 3rd September 1639, daughter of Noel and Françoise, on 22nd October 1653. They remained together in Quebec until Marguerite's death on 25th September 1697. Paul passed away at Beauport on 25th June 1703. 2

Early History of the Vashon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vashon research. The years 1645, 1700, 1731 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Vashon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vashon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Vachon, Vachen, Vachin, Vacheron, Vacion, Vation and others.

Early Notables of the Vashon family

Archbishop Alexandre Vachon; and François Vachon de Belmont (1645-1732), the fifth superior of the Montreal Sulpicians (1700 to 1731.) He was born in Burgundy, France to...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vashon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Vashon family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Paul Vachon arrived in Quebec in 1650 from Poitou; Anthoine Vacheron landed in North America in 1766; John Vacion settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1822..

Contemporary Notables of the name Vashon (post 1700) +

  • Admiral James Vashon (1742-1827), British Naval officer, born at Ludlow, son of James Volant Vashon, vicar of Eye in Herefordshire and lecturer of Ludlow
  • Vashon Eagleson, American football coach who served as the second head football coach at the North Carolina College for Negroes (1923–1926)
  1. Dionne, N.-E., Origine Des Familles Canadiennes-Français. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. Print.
  2. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print

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