Tenon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Tenon

What does the name Tenon mean?

The noble French surname Tenon was originally derived from the Greek name "Stephanos," meaning "crown." The Norman French form of this name was a popular personal name before the advent of surnames, in large part due to the Saint Stephanus.

Early Origins of the Tenon family

The surname Tenon was first found in the northern region of Lorraine and in the commune of Equennes in the Somme department, where they had many lands and estates. 1

They were granted nobility in the early 17th century, and awarded a coat of arms in 1620. As the family grew in prominence within Lorraine, branches spread to other regions of France, most notably to the southern area of Provence. These newly established branches of the Tenon family were eventually granted titles of nobility and a new coat of arms. Several individuals bearing the surname Tenon were knighted and were prominent figures throughout French history.

Philippe Etienne, born in 1631, son of Mathurin and Louise, was a french carpenter that travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in the province of Quebec he married Marie Vien, daughter of Étienne and Marie, at Trois-Rivières on 26th January 1655. Philippe married again to Marie Gravois at Trois-Rivières on 3rd November 1666. 2

Early History of the Tenon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tenon research. The years 162 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Tenon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tenon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Etienne, Etiennot, Tenon, Etieve, Estienne and others.

Early Notables of the Tenon family

Another 25 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tenon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tenon family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Guillaume Etienne who arrived in Quebec in 1657; Michel Etienne-Philippe who settled in Illinois in 1681; Giles Etienne who arrived in Louisiana in 1720.

Sources +

Dionne, N.-E., Origine Des Familles Canadiennes-Français. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. Print.
Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print