Contents [hide]

Rousseau History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Rousseau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France-Alt
France

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Rousseau family. Originally, the French people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in France is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Rousseau is a nickname type of surname for a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Rousseau was originally derived from the Old French word rous, meaning red.

Early Origins of the Rousseau family

The surname Rousseau was first found in Bourgogne, where the family held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Rousseau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rousseau research. Another 265 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1662, 1671, 1728 and 1871 are included under the topic Early Rousseau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rousseau Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rousseau, Rouseau, Rosseau, Rouseault, Roussault, Rouseult, Rosault, Rosseault, Rousult, DeRousseau, Derousseau, de Rousseau, De Rousault, de Rousault, Derousult, DeRouseau, de Rouseau, De Rouseau, LeRousseau, le Rousseau, Lerousseau, Aurousseau and many more.

Early Notables of the Rousseau family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Henri Rousseau, French painter, designer and writer

Rousseau World Ranking

In the United States, the name Rousseau is the 3,732^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Rousseau is ranked the 222^nd most popular surname with an estimated 17,840 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Rousseau is the 82^nd popular surname. 3 France ranks Rousseau as 34^th with 48,698 people. 4

Rousseau migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rousseau Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Rousseau, who arrived in Carolina in 1679 with his wife and 6 children

Rousseau Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Theodore Rousseau, who landed in Virginia in 1700 5
Charles Joseph Rousseau, who arrived in New York in 1797 5

Rousseau Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Peter Rousseau, who arrived in Philidelphia in 1803
E. Rousseau aged 40 arrived in New York City in 1823
J. Rousseau aged 37 arrived in New Orleans in 1823
Pierre Rousseau aged 34 arrived in New Orleans in 1823
August Rousseau, aged 4, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1850 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rousseau migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rousseau Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Jacques Rousseau, who landed in Quebec in 1665
Thomas Rousseau, son of Honoré and Marie, who married Madeleine Olivier, daughter of Jean and Louise, in Quebec on 5th October 1667 6
Symphorien Rousseau, son of Mathurin and Françoise, who married Marguerite Binaudière, daughter of Robert and Renée, in Sainte-Famille, Quebec on 30th August 1670 6
Jacques Rousseau, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Marguerite Guillebout, daughter of Charles and Françoise, in Quebec on 28th July 1677 6
Mr. Louis Rousseau, French settler travelling to Canada for work arriving on 28th March 1678 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rousseau Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Martin Rousseau, son of Thomas and Madeleine, who married Marie-Élisabeth Thibaut, daughter of François-Louis and Élisabeth-Agnès, in L'Islet, Quebec on 3rd May 1700 6
Charles Rousseau, son of Jacques and Marguerite, who married Charlotte-Judith Jérémie, daughter of Noel and Jeanne, in Saint-Nicolas, Quebec on 23rd November 1705 6
Antoine Rousseau, son of Thomas and Madeleine, who married Catherine Bouffard, daughter of Jacques and Anne, in Saint-Laurent-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 9th April 1709 6
Louis Rousseau, son of Jérome and Louise, who married Geneviève Faux, daughter of Jacques and Marie, in Quebec on 8th June 1711 6
Michel Rousseau, son of Jacques and Marguerite, who married Marie-Madeleine Cocheu, daughter of Jacques and Marie, in Quebec on 17th September 1714 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rousseau (post 1700) +

Lovell Harrison Rousseau (1818-1869), American Republican politician, Member of Indiana State House of Representatives, 1844-45 8
Hector J. Rousseau, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Manchester 13th Ward; Elected 1938 8
Jacques Rousseau (1951-2024), French two-time Olympian long jumper, European champion long jumper in 1978
Joseph-Hervé Rousseau, Canadian member of the House of Commons for Rimouski, Quebec (1950-1953)
Jeannine Rousseau (b. 1941), Canadian lawyer in Montreal and Quebec Supreme Court judge
Real Rousseau, Canadian industrialist and politician, born in Trois Pistoles, Quebec, who became the Mayor of Windmill Point in 1958
Samuel Rousseau (1763-1820), English printer and Orientalist, born in London, hee eldest son of Philip Rousseau
Duncan Franklin "Dunc" Rousseau (1945-2017), Canadian professional WHA ice hockey forward
Jeannie Rousseau (1919-2017), French Allied intelligence agent in occupied France during World War II, awarded the Central Intelligence Agency's Agency Seal Medal in 1993
Michel Rousseau (1936-2016), French four-time gold medalist cyclist
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Rousseau family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. Pierre Rousseau (d. 1912), aged 49, English Chef from London, England who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 9

The Rousseau 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: Non me frustra laedes
Motto Translation: Do not harm me without reason

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
Debien, Gabriel. Liste Des Engagés Pour Le Canada Au XVIIe Siècle. Vol. 6, Laval University, 1952. (Retreived 24th May 2018). Retrieved from https://lebloguedeguyperron.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/130-liste-des-contrats-dengagement-pour-la-nouvelle-france-releves-a-la-rochelle-entre-1634-et-1679/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html