During the Middle Ages, the surname of Chenier was 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 Chenier 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 Chenier derives from the Old French word "grenier" and was an occupational name for a worker at a mill or granary.
Early Origins of the Chenier family
The surname Chenier was first found in Ile-de-France in the seigneurie of where they have held a
family seat since ancient times.
The family later branched to Languedoc and Haute-Auvergne where Antoine Grenier de Lassagne is mentioned at Vaour in 1450. Branching once again, a family of gentleman glass makers, also related to ancient champion swordsmen, established themselves at Perigord.
Early History of the Chenier family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chenier research.
Another 205 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1252, 1450, 1564, 1585, 1619, 1664, 1700, 1711, 1740, 1811, and 1882 are included under the topic Early Chenier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Chenier Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Grenier, Grenie, Grenyer, Grenye, Greniait, Greniai, Greniaie, Greniay, Greniez, Grenyait, Grenyai, Grenyaie, Grenyay, Grenyez, Chenier, Chenie, Chenyer, Chenye, Cheniait, Cheniai, Cheniaie, Cheniay, Cheniez, Chenyait, Chenyai, Chenyaie, Chenyay, Chenyez, Grennier, Grennie, Grennyer, Grennye, Grenniait, Grenniai, Grenniaie, Grenniay, Grenniez, Grennyait, Grennyai, Grennyaie, Grennyay, Grennyez, Chennier, Chennie, Chennyer, Chennyer, Chenniait, Chenniai, Chenniaie, Cheniay, Chenniez, Chennyait, Chennyai, chennyaie, Chennyay and many more.
Early Notables of the Chenier family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Chenier Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Chenier family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Chenier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Ignace Chenier, aged 42, who landed in Missouri in 1812 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Chenier Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
- Jean Chenier, son of Jean and Marguerite, married Jacqueline Sédilot, daughter of Louis and Marie, in Quebec on 23rd October 1651 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958. - Jean Chenier, son of Jean and Marguerite, married Marie Gresleau, daughter of Hilaire and Lueria, in Quebec on 23rd November 1667 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958. - Jean Chenier, son of Jean and Jacqueline, married Marie-Geneviève Ferret, daughter of Pierre and Marie, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec on 8th February 1683 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958. - Jean Chenier, son of Jean and Jacqueline, married Marie-Jeanne Arrivé-Deslile, daughter of Jacques and Renée, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec on 21st February 1689 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
Chenier Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Jean-Baptiste Chenier, son of Jean and Marie-Geneviève, married Barbe Rapin, daughter of André and Clémence, in Lachine, Quebec on 7th April 1709 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958. - Joseph Chenier, son of Jean and Marie-Geneviève, married Madeleine Duboc, daughter of Guillaume and Barbe, in Quebec on 18th September 1713 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958. - François Chenier, son of Jean-Baptiste and Barbe, married Suzanne-Amanda Blondeau, daughter of Joseph and Marie-Angélique, in Lachine, Quebec on 27th November 1752 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
Contemporary Notables of the name Chenier (post 1700)
- George Chenier (1907-1970), North American Snooker Champion from 1948 to 1970
- C. J. Chenier (b. 1957), born Clayton Joseph Thompson, American singer and accordion performer, son of the legendary Clifton Chenier
- Philip Chenier (b. 1950), American former professional NBA basketball player and current television sports broadcaster
- Clifton Chenier (1925-1987), American Creole French-speaking Grammy Award winning blues player from Opelousas, Louisiana, National Heritage Fellow in 1984 and inducted posthumously into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989
- André Marie Chénier (1762-1794), French poet who was executed by the guillotine during the French Revolution
- Felix Chenier (1843-1910), Canadian lawyer and politician who represented Baie St. Paul in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1875 to 1878
- Jean-Olivier Chénier (1806-1837), Canadian physician in Lower Canada, Commander of the Patriote forces in the Battle of Saint-Eustache during the Lower Canada Rebellion
- Jacques Raymond "Ray" Chénier (b. 1935), Canadian politician, Member of Parliament for Timmins-Chapleau (1979-1984)