Bonay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• France

Etymology of Bonay

The French surname Bonay is an occupational name for someone who made and sold hats. 1 2

Early Origins of the Bonay family

Early History of the Bonay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonay research. Another 389 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1668, 1688, 1703, 1718, 1720, 1765 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Bonay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bonay Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Bonay is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Bonnet, Bonner, Bonné, Bonnée, Bonnais, Bonney, Bonnay, Bonnaie, Bonnai, Bonnaye, Bonet, Boner, Boné, Bonée, Boney, Bonay, Bonaye, de Bonnet, de Bonner, de Bonnay, de Bonney, de Bonet, de Boner, de Boney, de Bonay, de Bonnet, de Bonner, de Bonney, de Bonnay, de Bonet, de Boner, de Boney, de Bonay, de Bonet, du Bonnet, Dubonnet and many more.

Early Notables of the Bonay family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bonay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bonay family

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec, in 1663 there were only 500, 2,000 migrants arrived during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Migration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. 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. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many distinguished contributions have been made by members of this family name Bonay. It has been prominent in the arts, religion, politics and culture in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Bonay were Daniel Bonnet, who settled in New York in 1715; Jacques Bonnet, aged 32; settled with his wife, Mary, aged 32; with his 3 daughters and son in Philadelphia in 1733.