Ladu History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

The surname Ladu is an ancient French name from Brittany. It was a name given to a person who was a person who put on the airs and graces of a Duke, or for a servant who worked in the household of a Duke.

Early Origins of the Ladu family

The surname Ladu was first found in Brittany where they held a family seat in the honor of the seigneurie of Blardais, Busnelaye, and Rouvray.

By the 13th century they also branched to St. Sulspice in Normandy. Members of the Norman branch became seigneurs, and in this region they held a family seat at Duquerie. The family gradually, over the next three or four centuries, moved eastward to île-de-France, to Hainaut and finally to Flanders (Belgium).

In the latter region they held a family seat at Masnuy-St.Pierre, and members of this branch became knights in 1735. In Flanders they were Barons in 1787, just before the revolution, and intermarried with the distinguished family of Miche. In île-de-France they held a family seat at Fontaine. They also acquired estates in Perche, Champagne, Marche, and Gascogne.

Jean Leduc, born in 1624, travelled from Ingre, France to Canada in 1652. After arriving in Quebec he worked as a sawyer and he married Marie Soulinie, born in 1631, on 11th November 1652. The Lords of the Isle of Montreal gave Jean an acre of land on 20th August 1655 and this is where he settled with Marie. Jean and Marie had six children together, all boys, that all have many ancestors with the name Leduc in Canada. 1

Early History of the Ladu family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ladu research. The years 1742 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Ladu History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ladu Spelling Variations

The many different spellings of French surnames can be partially explained by the use of local dialects and by the influence of other languages during the early development of the French language. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Ladu is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Leduc, Laduc, le Duc, Le Du, Ledu, Le Duc, De Ducé and many more.

Early Notables of the Ladu family

More information is included under the topic Early Ladu Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ladu family

Immigration to New France was slow; therefore, early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. 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. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The distinguished family name Ladu has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Ladu were Jean Leduc who arrived in Saint Omer, Quebec, from Perche on the southern border of Normandy in 1652; Antoine-Pierre Leduc arrived in Quebec from Normandy in 1681.

Contemporary Notables of the name Ladu (post 1700) +

Stallham W. LaDu (b. 1823), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives, 1881-84 2

Citations +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html