Show ContentsBissonnette History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bissonnette belongs to the early history of France, when a region and a dialect went by the name of Languedoc. It is a product of the family's residency in Languedoc.

Early Origins of the Bissonnette family

The surname Bissonnette was first found in Languedoc.

Early History of the Bissonnette family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bissonnette research. Another 22 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1755 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Bissonnette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bissonnette Spelling Variations

Changes of spelling have occurred in most surnames. The earliest explanation is that during the early development of the French language, names were not yet fixed in spelling. Usually a person gave his version of his name, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. This depended on accent, and local accents frequently changed the spelling of a name. Some variables were adopted by different branches of the family name. Hence, there are some spelling variations of the name Bissonnette, including Bissonet, Bissonnette, Bisonnette, Bissonette, Bissonnet, Bisonet, Bisonnet, Bisonette, Bizanet, Bizanette, Bizannet and many more.

Early Notables of the Bissonnette family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • after enrolling he was elected lieutenant-colonel. He fought in the Alps and in Italy and in 1815 Napoleon named him General of his division. In Canada as well, individuals of the lineage were promine...
  • Aldolphe Bissonnette was a policeman in Montreal
  • another Arthur Bissonnette was a doctor in Montreal
  • Come Bissonnette was a bricklayer in Montreal
  • Emery Bissonnette was an engineer
  • Julien Bissonnette was an accountant

Bissonnette World Ranking

In the United States, the name Bissonnette is the 5,558th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1] However, in Canada, the name Bissonnette is ranked the 673rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,777 people with that name. [2] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Bissonnette is the 272nd popular surname. [3]

Migration of the Bissonnette family

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the French Acadian presence in the Maritimes had reached 500. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The family name Bissonnette has made many distinguished contributions in France and New France to the world of science, culture, religion, and education. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Bissonnette were 450 documented records in the annals of Canadian history of members of the same lineage who immigrated to Canada from France between 1600 and 1900. Most of the settlers, however, arrived in the nineteenth century, and records show that many were lawyers and doctors..


Contemporary Notables of the name Bissonnette (post 1700) +

  • Stephanie Bissonnette (1990-2022), American stage choreographer, known for her work in the musical Mean Girls, where she originated the role of Dawn Sweitzer
  • Michael D. Bissonnette, American politician, Mayor of Chicopee, Massachusetts in 2009
  • Anik Bissonnette (b. 1962), Canadian ballet dancer, principal dancer (1990-) with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
  • André Bissonnette (b. 1945), Canadian Quebec businessman and politician, elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1984 election
  • Lise Bissonnette OQ (b. 1945), Canadian writer and journalist
  • Paul Bissonnette (b. 1985), Canadian professional ice hockey player
  • Bernard Bissonnette (1898-1964), Canadian lawyer, politician, and professor of law


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "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


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