Show ContentsToulous History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Toulous family goes back to the Medieval landscape of southern France, to a region known as Languedoc. It is derived from the family living in the city of Toulouse, one of the major urban centers in the south of France.

Early Origins of the Toulous family

The surname Toulous was first found in Languedoc where they held a family seat as members of the aristocracy in that region. The main line of the Toulouse family emerged as the Comtes de Lautrec.

The first of this line was Raymond I, Count of Toulouse (died 865) who was the Count of Limoges, Rouergue, Quercy, Toulouse and Albi. On his death, his brother Fredelo, (Fredelo, Fridolo, or Frigidolo) who died in 852 assumed the title and some regard him as the first Count of Toulouse (844-852.) This line survived until Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse (1197-1249.) Shortly after his death, the county was annexed by France.

"The Counts of Toulouse descended from Fulcoald, Count of Rodez 837, whose son Fridolind became Count of Toulouse 849 (L'Art de Vdrif. les Dates), and was ancestor of that Sovereign house, whose services in the Crusades, and whose ruin in the Albigensian wars, occupy so important a place in history. A branch of this illustrious house settled in England at the Conquest, and Hugh de Toulouse obtained grants from Richard FitzGilbert in Surrey." 1

Early History of the Toulous family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toulous research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1864 and 1901 are included under the topic Early Toulous History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Toulous 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 Toulous is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Toulouse, Toulous, Tolouse and others.

Early Notables of the Toulous family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

Migration of the Toulous family

French settlers came early to North American, following in the wake of the explorers, and creating New France. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain is said to have been the first American site founded as a permanent settlement, rather than as just a commercial outpost. But emigration was slow, in 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 French people in Quebec, and by 1663, when the region was officially made The Royal Colony of New France, by Louis XIV, there still only around 500 settlers. Over 2,000 would arrive 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 immigrants, both noble and commoner from France. By 1675, there were around 7000 French in the colony, and by that 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. Despite the loss of the Colony to England, the French people flourished in Lower Canada. Among settlers to North America of the Toulous surname were Rene Toulouse arrived in Quebec from Languedoc in 1758.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)


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