Show ContentsDangeau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Dangeau is a name whose history is connected to ancient Normandy. The name is derived from when the Dangeau family once lived in the former province of Anjou, which comprised parts of southern Armorica, Indre-et-Loire, and Sarthe. The ancient capital of Anjou was Angers and, from the 10th century, this region was a countship belonging to the Plantagenet dynasty. Anjou was attached to the English Crown in 1156, after Henry II, the son of the Count of Anjou, became King of England. However, the territory was recovered by Philippe II in 1206 and, in 1487, the province was secured as Crown land by the French Crown.

Early Origins of the Dangeau family

The surname Dangeau was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where the family held a family seat from ancient times.

Some of the family emigrated to England as in the Domesday Book of 1086, "several of the name are found. The principal land-owner among them, who is supposed to have been of Breton origin, held considerable estates in Devonshire under Baldwin de Meules." 1

"John de Aunger served as knight of the shire for Leicester in three of Edward I.'s parliaments, and in the first held by Edward II. Josceline D'Aunger in 1169 witnessed the foundation charter of Lanercost Abbey, and Ralph de Angers in the thirteenth century held lands in Wilts. Ralph de Aungers was Sheriff of Notts, 49 and 50 Henry III. " 1

Early History of the Dangeau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dangeau research. Another 264 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1060, 1083, 1568, 1629, 1634, 1638 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Dangeau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dangeau Spelling Variations

History has changed the spelling of most surnames. During the early development of the French language in the Middle Ages, a person gave his version of his name, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. Some variables were adopted by different branches of the family name. Hence, there spelling variations of the name Dangeau, some of which include Anger, Angers, Angier, Ange, Dange, d'Angeros, Dangeros, d'Anger, d'Ange, d'Angier, d'Angers, Anget, Angay, Angey, Angé, d'Anget, d'Angay, d'Angey, d'Angé, Angger, Anggers, Anggier, d'Angger, d'Anggers, d'Anggier, Ager, Agey, d'Agey, Ageais, d'Ageais, Aggeais, Lange, Angerot, Dangerot, d'Angerot and many more.

Early Notables of the Dangeau family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

  • Courillon, Marquess of Dangeau
  • The Marquis Phillippe de Courcillon Dangeau (1638-1720), a chronicler, who accompanied Louis IV on many of his campaigns

Migration of the Dangeau 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 Dangeau. 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 Dangeau were Elizabeth Anger settled in Virginia in the year of 1723; Nicolas Anger settled in the province of Québec, in Pointes-aux-Trembles, by the year of 1685..



The Dangeau Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fides
Motto Translation: Faith.


  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3


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