D'aigneau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• France
• England

Early Origins of the D'aigneau family

Early History of the D'aigneau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our D'aigneau research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1680 and 1736 are included under the topic Early D'aigneau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

D'aigneau Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous alterations in spelling because of the various cultural groups that inhabited specific regions. Eventually, each region possessed its own local dialect of the French language. The early development of the French language, however, was also influenced by 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 D'aigneau is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Daignault, D'Aigneau, Daigneau, Daignaux, D'Aiognaux, Daignaud, D'Aignaud, D'Aignault, D'Aigneaux, Daigneaux, Deneau, Deneault, Denyau, Denais, Deinout, Deinieau, Denault, Denaut, Denaux, Deneux, Denieau, Daieneault, D'Aieneault, Daineau, D'Aineau, Aignault and many more.

Early Notables of the D'aigneau family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

• Herbert D'Aigneaux of Normandy

Migration of the D'aigneau 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 D'aigneau. 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 D'aigneau were Jean Daignault settled in Quebec in 1665 from Brittany; Claude Denault arrived in Quebec in 1686 from Ile-de-France; Jacques Denault arrived in Quebec in 1740 from Normandy.