Charets History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Charets

What does the name Charets mean?

The name Charets is an ancient French name that was given to a person from Brittany who was a cart driver. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Charets was derived from the Old French word "charetier," which means "carter."

Early Origins of the Charets family

The surname Charets was first found in Brittany, where this illustrious family was anciently seated.

At the end of the 14th century, the family settled in the region of Nantes. Louis de Charette, the marquis of La Gacherie, was born in Nantes in 1712 and died in 1787. Louis-François Charette, the lord of La Colinière, a nephew to Louis, was born in 1739. Several branches of the family were also formed in other regions. The branch Charest was established in Poitou, in a village of Vienne, in the district of Poitiers. The members of the branch Charette branched to a village in the department of Isère, in the district of La-Tour-du-Pin.

Etienne Charest, born in 1631, son of Pierre and Renée (née Merle), arrived in Canada from Sainte-Radégonde, France. He married Catherine Bisson on 27th November 1670. Etienne passed away in Lévis, Quebec but he left many descendents. 1

Early History of the Charets family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Charets research. The years 1763, 1796, 1832, 1848 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Charets History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Charets 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 Charets is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Charest, Charrest, Charet, Charret, Charets, Charrets, Charette, Charrette, Charettes, Charrettes, Charais, Charrais and many more.

Early Notables of the Charets family

François Athanase de Charette de la Contrie (1763-1796) a Franco-Breton Royalist soldier and politician. He served in the French Navy during the American Revolutionary War and was one of the leaders of the Revolt in the Vendée against the French Revolution. His great-nephew Athanase-Charles-Marie Charette de la Contrie was a noted military leader and great-grandson of Charles X, the...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Charets Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Charets migration to Canada +

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 Charets 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 Charets were

Charets Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Étienne Charets, who married Catherine Bissot in Quebec City in 1670
Etienne Charets, son of Pierre and Renée, who married Catherine Bissot, daughter of François and Marie, in Quebec on 27th November 1670 2
Jean Charets, son of Jean and Renée, who married Marie Bourdon, daughter of Louis and Marguerite, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 11th November 1680 2
Jacques Charets, son of François and Anne, who married Jeanne Dubois, daughter of Jacques and Catherine, in Lévis, Quebec on 15th September 1693 2
Jacques Charets, who married Jeanne Dubois in Lévis, Quebec in 1693
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Charets Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Étienne Charets, a merchant, who married Anne-Thérèse Duroy in Quebec City in 1713
Etienne Charets, son of Etienne and Catherine, who married Anne-Thérèse Duroy, daughter of Pierre and Marguerite, in Quebec on 6th February 1713 2
Jean-Baptiste Charets, son of Etienne and Catherine, who married Louise Allemand, daughter of Pierre and Louise, in Quebec on 28th January 1714 2
Joseph Charets, son of Jean and Catherine, who married Madeleine Chêne, daughter of Raymond and Rose, in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Quebec on 10th April 1725 2
Louis Charets, son of Jean and Catherine, who married Marie-Josephte Gariépy, daughter of Jean and Marguerite, in Lachenaie, Quebec on 14th April 1738 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.