Robert History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The majestic country of France is the ancestral homeland of the distinguished surname Robert. The earliest hereditary surnames in France were either patronymic surnames, derived from the father's given name, or metronymic names, derived from the mother's given name. Robert is derived from the Old French personal name Robert, which is composed of the Germanic elements "hrod," meaning "bright," and "berht," meaning "bright," or "famous."
Early Origins of the Robert family
The surname Robert was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where this renowned family has held a family seat since the Middle Ages.
The earliest and only member recorded from this family in Bourgogne was Lancelot Le Robert, Lord of la Tour de Pancy and part of Annoux, who became the Secretary of the Duke of Bourgogne, and successively owned Pontailler-sur-Saône, and the Lordships of Montréal and Châtel-Girard in 1445. He was assassinated by his wife. His descendants were recorded as possessors of the Lordship of Pancy in the seventeenth century.
Other notable descendants under this name were: Hubert (1733-1808), landscape painter; François (1737-1819), who was the King's Geographer and a politician; Pierre-François-Joseph (1763-1826), who was a member of the National Convention; Louis-Léopold (1794-1835), who was a talented Swiss painter; Louis-Benoît and Simon, who were Generals and were both honoured as Barons of the Empire in 1811.
Mathurin Robert, born in 1665, son of Pierre and Julienne (née Guilmette), travelled from Brittany (French: Bretagne) to Canada in the 17th century. After settling in Quebec he married Elizabeth Marcot, daughter of Nicolas and Martine (née Taurey), at Pointe-aux-Trembles on 30th July 1691. 1
Early History of the Robert family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Robert research. The years 1618 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Robert History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Robert Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Robert, Robers, Robart, Roberte, Robertes, Robarte, Robartes, Robarts, Roberrt, Roberrs, Roberre, Robèrre, Robarres, Robarrs, Robarre, le Robert, le Robers, de Robert, de Robers and many more.
Early Notables of the Robert family
Notable amongst the family at this time was
- Louis-Benoît Robert, General, Baron of the Empire
Robert World Ranking
In the United States, the name Robert is the 2,533rd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Robert is ranked the 191st most popular surname with an estimated 19,103 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Robert is the 86th popular surname. 4 France ranks Robert as 5th with 91,393 people. 5
Robert migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Robert Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mr. Brian Robert, aged 27, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Assurance" 6
- Anthony Robert, who landed in Virginia in 1637 7
- William Robert, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 7
- Thomas Robert, who arrived in Maryland in 1657 7
- James Robert, who settled in Maryland in 1666
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Robert Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Louis Robert, who landed in Virginia in 1700 7
- Jacques Robert, aged 33, who landed in Louisiana in 1720 7
- Peter Robert, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755 7
- Jacob Robert, who arrived in Long Island in 1781 7
- George Robert, who arrived in New York in 1798 7
Robert Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Roger Robert, who arrived in America in 1816 7
- Jose Robert, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1835 7
- Angel Robert, aged 53, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1840 7
- Narcisse Robert, aged 40, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1841 7
- John Robert, who landed in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1844 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Robert Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Miss Irene Robert, aged 18, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" 8
Robert migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Robert Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
- Mr. Geoffroy Robert, (b. 1612), aged 30, French settler travelling to Canada for work arriving on 31st March 1642 9
- Guillaume Robert, aged 18, who landed in Montreal in 1653
- Louis Robert, who settled in Quebec in 1665
- Louis Robert, son of André and Catherine, who married Marie Bourgery, daughter of Jean-Baptiste and Marie, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on 25th November 1666 10
- Charles Robert, son of Louis and Marie, who married Marie Leber, daughter of François and Jeanne, in Contrecoeur, Quebec on 9th January 1681 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Robert Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Joseph Robert, son of Louis and Marie, who married Marie-Josephte Larrivé, daughter of Pierre and Denise, in Boucherville, Quebec on 26th December 1701 10
- Joseph Robert, son of Jean and Anna, who married Madeleine Demers, daughter of Charles and Élisabeth, in Montreal, Quebec on 15th November 1711 10
- Joseph Robert, son of Ignace and Jeanne, who married Marguerite Girard, daughter of Pierre-Jacques and Marguerite, in Varennes, Quebec on 13th April 1711 10
- François Robert, son of Louis and Marie, who married Marie Lanctot, daughter of François and Marguerite, in Longueuil, Quebec on 26th January 1712 10
- Jean-Baptiste Robert, son of Louis and Marie, who married Geneviève Brabant, daughter of Pierre and Marguerite, in Repentigny, Quebec on 5th February 1714 10
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Robert Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Victor Robert, who landed in Red River, Canada in 1821
Robert migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Robert Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- William Robert, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Pakenham" in 1849 11
- Jonathan Robert, aged 34, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Neptune" 12
- Patty Robert, aged 17, a dressmaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Navarino" 13
- Henry Robert, aged 22, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Standard" 14
- M. Robert, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Magdelana" 15
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Robert migration to New Zealand +
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:
Robert Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. James Robert, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 16
- Mrs. Robert, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 16
- Mr. John R W P Robert, British settler travelling from Liverpool (Mersey) aboard the ship "Viscount Sandon" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand then Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in 1860 17
- Mr. William Robert, (b. 1823), aged 37, British cabinetmaker travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 16
- Mrs. Lucy Durell Robert, (b. 1826), aged 34, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 16
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Robert (post 1700) +
- Arthur Robert (1943-1993), American tennis player
- Ridgway Robert (b. 1850), American ornithologist
- Maurice Robert (1930-2022), French academic and ethnologist
- Charles-Marie Robert Count d'Escorches de Sainte Croix, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 18
- Charles Marie- Robert, Count d'Escorches de Sainte Croix, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 19
- Simon Robert, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 20
- Louis Benoît Robert, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 21
- Joseph Louis Armand Robert, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 22
- Jean Gilles André Robert, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 23
- Jean-Baptiste Robert, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 24
- ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Robert family +
Arrow Air Flight 1285
- Mr. John Connelly Robert (d. 1985), American Flight First Officer from Miami, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 25
Bismarck
- Klaus Robert (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 26
- Mrs. Elisabeth Walton Robert, (née McMillan), aged 43, American First Class passenger from St. Louis, Missouri who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 2 27
Suggested Readings for the name Robert +
- The Pioneer Rapids Families by George Mason Graham Stafford.
Citations +
- Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
- "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
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
- 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)
- Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2192
- Debien, Gabriel. Liste Des Engagés Pour Le Canada Au XVIIe Siècle. Vol. 6, Laval University, 1952. (Retreived 24th May 2018). Retrieved from https://lebloguedeguyperron.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/130-liste-des-contrats-dengagement-pour-la-nouvelle-france-releves-a-la-rochelle-entre-1634-et-1679/
- Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The PAKENHAM 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Pakenham.htm
- South Australian Register Wednesday 26 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Neptune 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/neptune1853.shtml
- South Australian Register Monday 14th August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Navarino 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/navarino1854.shtml
- South Australian Register Monday 18th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Standard 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1854.shtml
- South Australian Register Wednesday 17th January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Magdelana 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/magdalena1855.shtml
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) Charles-Marie Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, September 11) Charles Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Simon Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Louis Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Joseph Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean-Baptiste Robert. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
- Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
- Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html