Avoyelles French Family Name Origins

This Avoyellean Family page was created on Sept. 12, 1996

THE FIRST COLONISTS OF AVOYELLES
Avoyelleans: Before the Cajuns...there were the Creoles

A Brief Genealogy of the first families of a given name in Avoyelles, Louisiana

Avoyelles Parish was settled by predominently direct French Immigrants and their descendants.....long before the Acadians came to Louisiana, the ancestors of Avoyelles were settled here. The Avoyelles french settled first in Pt. Coupee and New Orleans, then made their way to Avoyelles by 1781...hence the address of this web page. Names such as Bordelon, DeCuir, Laborde, Normand are unique to the Greater Avoyelles area... All of the first families were from France, either directly or by way of Quebec, except the DeCuir family which came from Macon, Hainaut, Belgium and the Scallan family who came from Ireland. Only two of the early families which came to Avoyelles, Jeansonne and Moulard, have ties to Acadia, with Jeansonne actually being an Acadian version of Johnson, a Scottish name. Both of these migrants took Acadian brides.
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ORIGINS OF SOME EARLY AVOYELLES NAMES IN EUROPE:

Compiled from various sources (some sources noted in brackets) by:
RANDY DeCUIR
105 N. Main Street. PO Box 383 Marksville, La. 71351 USA
Send email to decuir@ yahoo.com Please include the word "avoyelles" in subject line of email

Select a letter from those below to go directly to Avoyelles names starting with that letter

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z

A

ANDRIES - John Andries, native of Belgium, resident of Echo area on Avoyelles-Rapides border, filed for American Citizenship at Avoyelles Courthouse in 1868.

Armand - Joseph Armand native of Metz, Province of Lorraine, France. Northeast France near border of Luxembourg. He migrated to Canada, then Pointe Coupee, Louisiana, and his many of his descendants came to Avoyelles.

Aymond - Jean Aymond, born at Strasbourg, France before 1765. Stasbourg is located in Northeast France in Alsace near the German border. Greg Aymond has further researced that: Church records show that Michel and Catherine Aymond, and two children, Jean and Marie, arrived in Louisiana from Mortsi, Bishopric of Strasbourg,Alsace - France by 1771 (at which time Marie married Noel Etienne Arvieux).Those same records tell us that Michel and Catherine resided in St. John the Baptist Parish, La. We do not know if any other children were left in France or came with them to Louisiana. (Greg Aymond)Mortsi may be Mortzwiller, Haut Rhin, Alsace OR Mutzig, Basse Rhin, Alsace.

B

Barbin-deBellevue - Louis Barbin, who was appointed by King Louis XIV in 1703 to a position in Louisiana was probably from the town of Melun, lying on the right bank of the River Seine some 40 kilometers southeast of Paris, France in the Department of the Seinve and Marne. Some of the descendants later took on the name of deBellevue. Two castles in Melun, Chateau don Pierre and Chateau Champs, belonged to various members of three Barbin brothers, Claude, Pierre and Charles. Their relation is not known yet to the Avoyelles Barbins. Harold Barbin speculates that Claude Barbin had Baltazare Barbin who had a son Charles who had Francois Barbin who may be the father of Louis Barbin who came to Louisina. Another family of Barbin's moved to Avoyelles in the 1850s from Paris. At least one descendant thinks there was a connection between the families.

Baudin - Barthelemy Cresence Baudin, born 1811 at Marseille, on the Mediterranean Sea in Southern France, migrated to Avoyelles in the 1850s.

Beauregard - Joseph Beauregard, native of New Orleans, is the forefather of the Beauregard family of Avoyelles. He settled in Echo on the Rapides line after the civil war, and some descendants say he was the son of famous Confederate General P. T. G. Beaureagard, born out of wedlock, raised in an orphange. From an official version, the Toutant-Beaureard family descends from a titled Welchman who rebelled against the King of England, moved to France, to La Rochelle, where he became Toutant, about the year 1200. Then, about 1600, a descendant married a Lady Paix de Beauregard said to be the last of the name, and the family became Toutant-Beauregard. A branch left France for New Orleans by 1753 under Louis XIV, with Jacques Toutant-Beauregard who married Madeleine Cartier. (Denis Beauregard)

Beridon - Louis Beridon, forefather of the Beridons of Avoyelles, was born in 1822 at Bordeaux , an inland port city in Southwest France.

Bernard - Francois Bernard, native of Canada, is the forefather of the Bernards of Avoyelles

Bielkiewicz - Henry Bielkiewicz was born in 1834 at LeHavre, a large port city on the English Channel in Normandy. He migrated to Avoyelles and is the forefather of this family.

Bize - Victor Bize, born 1836 at Nestier, France, Dept of Hautes-Pyrenees, in Southwest France, migrated in 1850s, filed for citizenship at Avoyelles in 1871.

Bonnett - Jean Bonnette, forefather of the Bonnette family of Avoyelles, was, according to his marriage record in 1806 at Avoyelles, a native of Montagne in Saintongo. (Or Mortague according to the baptism record of a grandson, Joseph) This is probably the Province of Saintonge, France, north of Bordeaux . French genealogist Alain Bourreau said that Montagne or Mortague may be the same as Mortagne sur Gironde, now in the department of Charentes Maritimes (17). Robert Mauxion, an attorney of Mortagne sur Gironde, wrote to say the name BONNET, is still alive in Mortagne sur Gironde and in Cognac. Mauxion also said that Gen. Lafayette started from Port des Barques on his voyage to the American colonies, not far from Mortagne sur Gironde, Jean Bonnet was born c1785, the son of Jacques Bonnet and Maire Bateau. There is a St. Bonet located just east of Barbezieux about 50 miles west of Gironde Bay on the Atlantic side. Possibly this St. Bonet may be related. Nelson Gremillion stated in one of his books that Bonnet was a native of Montlieu-la-Garde, postal code 17210,(between Angouleme and Bordeaux, adding yet another possible location of Bonnet origin. (Randy DeCuir)

Bordelon - Gabriel Laurent Bordelon, born1696 at Notre Dame, LeHavre, France. LaHavre is a port town on the English Channel in northwest France. He later lived at Rochefort, France. His father, Jean Baptiste Bordelon was in charge of supplies for the French navy. Gabriel Laurent married in 1730 a St. Louis Parish, New Orleans, to Anne Francoise Roland, native of St. Germain l'Auerois , Parish, Paris. She had been sent to Louisiana by the nuns from an orphanage. they lived most of their lives in New Orleans. Their son, Antoine is shown in the 1785 census of Avoyelles. He was a leader of the Pt. Coupee Militia during the American Revolutionary War. Antoine married twice, once to Marie DeCuir, then to Marguerite Leonard, who may have been the granddaguther of Antoine Drapeau, the latter whose birthplace is marked on Rabalais Street in Fontainay le Compte, France.(Nelson Gremillion)

Borrel - the Avoyelles Borrel family was the last French immigrant family to arrive, about 1918. Maurice Borrel, the father, was from the same general area as the Chaze family. (Sylvan Chaze)

Bowie - An Anglo Saxon name, the first Bowie to live in Avoyelles was the family of Rezin Bowie, brother of Alamo hero Jim Bowie. There are mullato Bowie families in Central Louisiana, who probably descend from Jim Bowie, free man of color, who was born before the Civil War in Catahoula Parish. Some of these current families say they are descendants of the famous Jim Bowie.

Bringol - Jean Nicolas Bringol and his wife, Elizabeth Nicolan, along with their eight children, Constant, Marie, Jean Nicolas Emile, Jean Batiste, Adelphine Hortense, Marguerite, Felicite & and Gertrude, migrated from Canton de Rechicourt-le-Chateau, arrondissement de Sarrebourg, in the former ìdepartement de la Meurtheî, now ìdepartement de la Moselleî in the ìregion Lorraineî, France. The family departed France through the port of Le Harve, on the ship ìMegunticookî, arriving in New Orleans, LA on March 7, 1846. Jean Nicolas Emile and his younger brother, Jean Batiste then relocated to Avoyelles Parish, between 1850 and 1855 where they married sisters.
Jean Nicolas Emile married Catherine Smith on January 13, 1876 at which time they acknowledged their seven children. Born of this union were: Eugene, Eugenie, Eleanore, Etienne Alexandre, Emile Jean Batiste, Elizabeth, and Emilie. Jean Nicolas settled in Section 6 of Ward One (Effie-Ruby Poad) of Avoyelles Parish. Jean Batiste married Ann Smith on March 30, 1859 and settled in Egg Bend (Fifth Ward) on the right decending bank of the Red River in Avoyelles Parish. Bom of this marriage were seven children, Josephine, Marguerite, Julienne, Euphorise, John Batiste, Hortense and Lonnie.
Jean Batiste was the owner/operator of the first steam operated cotton gin in Avoyelles Parish. He was a constable from 1866 to 1870 and a Justice of the Peace from 1876 until his death in 1884. The New Orleans ìDaily Picayuneî dated May 6, 1884 obituary read: ìDied. Bringol - At his residence near Egg Bend, on Red River, April April 17, 1884, at half past 10 P. M., Jean Batiste Bringol, a native of Franceî. (Donald J Bringol: bringol@kricket.net)

Brou - Charles Louis Brou, forefather of the Brou family of Avoyelles, migrated to Avoyelles from La Mans , a city about an hour and a half southwest of Paris. There is a town of Brou, located between LeMans and Chartres, that may have connections to the family of Charles Louis Brou. (Randy DeCuir)

Brouillette- The first Brouillette to the New World was from Angoueleme, about 60 miles Northwest of Bordeaux, France. He migrated to Canada. His descendants migrated to Illinois and Louisiana. (Dr. Walter Saucier) Another source has this info on the origin of the Brouillette name: Michel Brouillet of Poitou

Broussard - Louis Broussard of Opelousas is the forefather of the Avoyelles Broussard family. Louis Broussard was the son of Urbain Broussard from Quebec Canada. The Avoyelles Broussard's ancestor's roots are traced back to LaFleche, Anjou, France, and apparently not related to the cadian Broussard's who descend from Francois Broussard, whose son was considered a hero by the Acadians in 1765, but whose native area has not been confirmed in France as of yet. LaFleche is located about halfway between Mans and Angers, about 50 kilometers from Angers. (Errol Brent Boussard)

BROUTIN Ignace Frances Brutin was of ancient and noble lineage, the first of the name to arrive in Louisiana, he was the son of Pierre Brutin andMichelle Lemaire, both natives of bafro,Bishopric of Arras, department of Calais and Capital of Artoia, France. In 1725 he drew a map of New Orleans and set down the names of all the residences and localities of their residences. He also drew the first plan of the fort at Natchtoches. The Barbin family descends from this line as Irene Broutin married Louis Jacques Barbin. (Robert Villars)

C

Cailleteau - descend from Eugene Jean Baptiste Cailleteau, born at 1799 at St. Prix, France. His title was Lord of St. Prix, in the Dept of the Ardenne.. The Ardenne hills and forest region in northeast France. Cailleteau settled at Marksville where he married Irene Broutin.

Carmouche - Jean Baptiste Carmouche dit Lorrain,born about 1692, ancestor of the Avoyelles Carmouche family, was a native of St. Laurent de Pont-de-Mousson, France. Pont-de-Mousson is located halfway between the cities of Nancy and Metz in the northeast corner of France. Nelson Gremillion in later works puts Jean Baptiste' birthplace as L'Ayrane, Bishopric of Taille, France. Carmouche migrated as a locksmith from the port of Lorient, on the ship Gironde in 1720 to Mobile where he married and his son, Joseph Carmouche was born about 1742. Jean Baptiste died before 1753, at which time his estate included a plantation outside the city and a house and lot on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Joseph married at Pointe Coupee in 1764 to Marie DuCote, and they had at least nine children, moving to Avoyelles about 1785. Their oldest daughter, Julie, married Marc Eliche, the founder and namesake of city of Marksville.

Casteran - Jacques Casteran, born 1834 at dept. of Hautes-Pyrenees, in southwest France.

Caubarreaux - Andre Caubarreaux, French immigrant to Avoyelles, was born about 1849 at Pau, in the South of France at the base of PyrÈnÈes Mountains.

Cayer - Louis Cayer migrated to Avoyelles in the 1800s from Bougie near Caen. This is proably the same as Bougy, near Caen in Normandy. Mrs. Cayer was a Pottier from near Alen∞on, north of LeMans.

Charrier - Louis Antoine Charrier, native of Nion, Poitou, France, married 1785 at New Orleans to Marie Ache, native of St. Malo, France. They are the ancestors of the Charrier family of Avoyelles. Charrier's parents were Louis Charrier and Marie Delormo of Nion, and Marie's parents were Pierre Hache and Anna Dumond of St. Malo. According to Poitou genealogist Allain Bourreaux, this Nion may be, Niort, (department of Deux-SËvres (zipcode 79). Also, Delormo is not a name from Poitou, but DELORME is.

Chatelain - Jacques (Chaulin, Chatlin) Chatelain" born 1672 at Chassy, Burgundy, France arrived July 20th, Ship Island,Province of Louisiana, aboard the "LeTilleul" and he married Ann Fanay Of Mare, Champagne, France, according to descendant Scot Chatelain. There are families of Chatelain living in France and Switzerland today, so we assume the family may have orginated from the border region of these two countries. Jacques lived in the Mobile, AL area before his descendants made their way to New Orleans in the late 1700s, then into Avoyelles.

Chaze - Avoyelles Chaze family forefather is Emile Jules Chaze who came to Marksville in 1844. He was born 1821 near Nantes, an Atlantic port city in central France. There are several town and villages called Chaze in this region. One of them is Chaze sur Argus, (Sylvan Chaze)

Chenevert - Moise Morin dit Chenevert, a soldier, was from St. Andre Parish, Niort, Diocese of Poiters, Poitou, France. He migrated to Canada where he married in 1707. He was the forefather of the Chenevert family of Avoyelles.

Christophel - George Christophel, forefather of the Avoyelles family, was from Barus near Saar Louis, Germany. Descendent Ray Christophel states his ancestor first settled at what is now Hamburg, LA. - the area getting its name from the German settlers of which Christophel was a member.

Coco - Dominique Baldony dit Coco native of Nice en Provence (Savoy), Italy (Now France) Nice is on the Mediterranean Sea in SouthEast France.

Couvillion - Adrien Quevillion born 1641 at St. Quan-Mauge Parish, Bishopric of Rouen , France. Rouen is in Upper Normandy in Northwest France, migrated to Canada by 1672. His great-grandson, Adrien-Amable Quevillon, born 1751 in Canada, moved to Pointe Coupee, then Avoyelles, in Louisiana by 1796. Adrien-Amable is the forefather of the large Couvillion clan of Avoyelles today. Adrien-Amable married in 1759 to Marianne Pourceau. Her parents were Jean Baptiste Pourceau who was a native of Chambray, Hainaut, France, and his wife, Marie Therese Chalin, who was born at Avoyelles in 1722 and probably the first white child to be born in the area. J. B. Pourceau migrated from the same region and on the same ship as the DeCuir family to Louisiana. Ira Couvillon noted in his Couvillon book that the DeCuirs and Couvillon and Joffrions traveled together, according to oral history. Apparently this was the basis of the legend. (Ira Couvillion Nelson Gremillion, Randy DeCuir)

D

DAIGREPONT - Sieur Jean Jacques Vernin Daigrepont, native of Moulin, province of Bourbon, France, first settled in Pointe Couppee about 1810, married there in 1815, but by 1819 he and his bride had moved to Avoyelles, where they settled the family farm near present day Hessmer. Daigrepont had married Eugenie Vitrac, born March 9, 1791, daughter of Dr. Jacques Paul Vitrac, a native of Bordeaux, France, and Marie Clemence LaCour. Jacques and Eugenie had only one child, Pierre Daigrepont, before the early death of Jacques. After the death of Jacques, his widow remarried in 1822 Ebenezer G. Paxton. Pierre Daigrepont, born c1815, the only child of Jacques and Eugenie Daigrepont, married, on December 27, 1836 Agelie Ducote, born c1823, daughter of Jean Pierre Ducote and Elise Laborde. Pierre died before 1880 and Agelie before 1890. They lived their entire life on a farm near Hessmer. They had eleven children. (Randy DeCuir)

Dauzat - The Dauzat family of Avoyelles stems from Antoine Dauzat, born at Montreal, Canada, in 1713, son of Pierre Dauzat and Marguerite Guinard. Antoine migrated to Pointe Coupee where he died in 1755. Antoine, Jr. moved his families to Avoyelles in the 1790s. In a French Surname dictionary, ironically authored by an author by the surname of Dauzat, he states for the name Dauzat: "From the town of DAUZAT", in the french country of "Auvergne" in the departement of "Puy de Dome" near the town of "CLERMONT FERRAND" (center or france). One emigrant family from "Auvergne" was, in the 17th century, in the departement fo "TARN" (where she left descendants); from there, a part of this family goes to " Bordeaux ", where the name take a final "s" at the beginning of 19th century. (Dauzt dictionary infomartion courtesry of Christian DAUMOINX)

DeBELLEVUE - Two brothers settled in Marksville - both were early judges and both were of the family Barbin deBellevue, translation: Barbin of Bellevue. Bellevue was the name of the massive plantation in southeast Louisiana. Lt. deBellevue was the commander of the Marines at the famous Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The Barbin and DeBellevue families are from Melun, near Paris.

DeCUIR - Albert deCuire, was a native of Macon, County of , Hainaut, (an ancient countship which is now mostly in southern Belgium near the French border. Albert's ancestor's are noted in Macon as early as the year 1535. Albert deCuire migrated with 138 families from Hainaut to Louisiana with four of his children in 1720 from the Port of Lorient, and settled at Pointe Coupee. These Hainaut families were among the first permanent families to settle in Louisiana - and their group has been likened to the Mayflower of Louisiana. Their descendants number in the thousands. The Avoyelles branch stems from Albert's great-grandson, Marcellin DeCuir, who moved from Pt. Coupee to Avoyelles and settled at what is today Longbridge. (Randy DeCuir) See: www.angelfire.com/la/DeCuir/index.html

deLavallade - Benjamin P. deLavallade, born at Chateau Neuf, Dept. of Charente, Province of Cognac, in west central France. He migrated to Avoyelles before the Civil War. Legend has it he was killed in his store which faced the Courthouse Sqaure in Marksville. His gravestone has recently been found and returned to the Mansura Cemetery. (Randy DeCuir)

DeLOACH William DeLOACH settled in Louisiana. His descendants mostly live in Avoyelles Parish, but have spread across the state and country by now. He married a Uphamie Keller who was born on August 22, 1840 and died on April 9, 1911. There are several DeLoach families who were located in Alabama and Georgia in the 1800s.(DenÈe Deloach Koonce, denee@pennebaker.com)

deNUX - Dr. J. D. Emeric deNux, who migrated from France to Marksville after the Civil War, was born about 1842 at the city of Auch, which is in the province of Gers, in southwest France. (Corinne Saucier)

DESCANT - Jules M. Descant, son of Dominique Descant, was born 1840 at Bordeaux , department of Gironde, in southwest France.

DESSELLE - The Desselles Family of Louisiana and Avoyelles trace their origins to France. The family came from Noari, France, then to Montreal, Canada, then to Louisiana, first in Pointe Coupee and finally Avoyelles Parish. The first generation, Gabriel L. 3Celles-DuClos , born at Norai, France before 1650s migrated to Canada. Five generations later, Lambert Deselles dit DuClos migrated from Canada to Louisiana, eventually settling at Avoyelles.

Deshotels/Deshautelles - Pierre Des'Autel, son of Thomas Des'Autel & Marie Busion, of Malicorne, Diocese of Mans, Province of Maine, France. Mans is probably same as LeMans west-southwest of Paris between Paris and the Atlantic Ocean.

DeVILLE One of the few non-Catholic French families of Avoyelles, this family came out of a French Hugenot family which originaly settled in South Carolina and made it to Rapides by the late 1700s. Some made it into northern Avoyelles Parish. (Atlas of Louisiana Surnames, LSU Geoscience Press) DeWAILLY - Alphonse DeWailly, who came to Avoyelles, was the son of Louis DeWailly who was mayor of Amiens, in northern France, between Paris and Belgian border.

DIDIER - Jean Pierre Didier migrated from France to Louisiana in the second major wave of migration to Avoyelles. According to a descendant who has researched his ancestry back into France, Jean Pierre was born as a Didierjean, but shortened his name. He was from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, and towns which may be associated with his origin include: Glonville, Montigney, Gagney, Lamont and Breauxville.

DOMAS - Jean Ovide Domas migrated to Avoyelles from France where he was born 1835 at Clermont-Ferrand in the department of Puis de D*me in central France.

Drapeau Descendant of Antoine Bordelon through his second wife, Frederick, are descendants of her mother's Drapeauline.

Drouin - The Avoyelles Drouin family descends from Leon Drouin, born 1822 at Bordeaux, in Southwest France.

DUBEA - descends from Francois Dube', born at Rouge, Kingdom of France on September 15, 1817. Landed in New Orleans, LA in October, 1832. Filed for American Citizenship at Marksville as a resident of Avoyelles parish on May 14, 1849. (Margaret V. Thompson)

Dubroc - Joseph Dubroc, II, was a native of the German Coast upstream of New Orleans, and is the forefather of the Dubroc family of Avoyelles. His wife, Marie Joffrion, born 1765.

DucotÈ - Pierre DuCote dit Coureur, born about 1691, native of Flanders, France. The ancient Countship of Flanders, is now part of Nord Pas de Calais in the northernmost tip of France, as well as the area of Flanders in Belgium. Coureur meant woods runner, trader, similar to the English word today: courier. Ducote first married Antoinette, an Indian, who died apparently without children in 1747, then he married Marie Cable, a native of Germany. They had two children, one male to carry on the name, and the other a daughter who married Joseph Carmouche.

DuFour stems from Jean DuFour dit Brindamour who migrated to the Louisiana Colony by the early 1720s. Although the native village of Jean DuFour is unknown at this time, the family name of DuFour apparently originated in the Province of Limousin, found at Allassac before the 12th century, and in Augerge in the 13th century. (Jeri Dufour LaCour)

Dupuy - Francois Dupuis, born 1725 at Saintonge, Province, France. Saintonge Province is now in the Gironde Department of Southwest France near the Atlantic Ocean.

Durand - Alphonse Durand, (and probably Adrien and Nelson Durand), was a native of Beaumont where he was born in 1812. This is in the Dept of Dordogne, east of Bordeaux in Southwest France.

E

ElichÈ - Marksville's founder, Marc ElichÈ, was a native of Venice, Italy. He was a peddler, and legend states he was in the area of Marksville when his wagon wheel broke, so he just stayed and set up a store on what is today the northwest corner of Main and Ogden Streets in Marksville. Ironically, another Avoyelles area carries the name of yet another Italian immigrant of early Avoyelles. The area of Cocoville, south of Marksville, is named after the son of Dominique Coco, who like his comrade Marc Eliche, was an Italian peddler.

EscudÈ - The EscudÈ family stems from Phillipe EscusÈ or Escudieur, who was born about 1816-1820 at Hautes-Pyrenees, in the southwest corner of France along the Spanish border.

F

Firmin - Rouen, France Rouen is in Upper Normandy in Northwest France. (Barbara Gauthier)

Fuqua - The family descends from Charles Fouquier (also spelled Fouquerres and Fuqua), a native of La Havre, France. He married Helen Aymond of Avoyelles about 1805. They apparently lived in Ward One.

G

Gagnard - Jacques Gaignard, native of Nantes, France. Nantes is near the Atlantic Ocean in Western France in what is today in Pays deLaloire Department. Jacques Gaignard was the first commandant appointed to head the Spanish Military Post of Avoyelles in 1783. He and his wife, Ursule Juneau, are the ancestors of the Gagnard family.

Gaspard - The Gaspard and Normand families all descend from Jean Gaspard-Normand of Ige, France. Daniel Nomand called Gaspard is the forefather of the Gaspard family of Avoyelles. His brother, Jean Pierre Normand is the ancestor of the Normands of Avoyelles. See more information under the family name Normand. Daniel Normand Gaspard married Francoise Materne, whose grandfather, Johann Materne was a native of Rosenheim in Upper Alsace, France. This part of France is identified with the German culture. Rosenheim is probably the same as near Rosheim, in Upper Alsace (district 67), France.

Gauthier - Rene Gauthier, a soldier, native of Moulins, near Fougeres, France, migrated to Louisiana in 1719 on boat La Marie from La Rochelle, married at Natchitoches in 1742 to Jeanne Lureent, also a native of Fougeres, Diocese of Rennes, Brittany. Fougeres is in Brittany, near the boundary with Normandy. Their son, Guillaume Gauthier migrated to what is today Mansura.

Goudeau -Francois, born 1713, & Michel, born 1808 both at La Rochelle, France, a large port town on the Atlantic Ocean.

Goux - Jean Baptiste Goux and his sister Claire Goux Maillet were natives of Angen, postal code 47000, located between Bordeaux and Toulouse. Claire Goux and her husband were married at Bordeaux , a large port city in southwest France on the Atlantic. (Robert Michot)

Grandpierre - Antoine Granpierre›s gravestone in the old Marksville cemetery states he was a native of France.

Gremillion - Louis Gremillion of Courcival, Sarthe, France, today located near Orne, Saosnois and Sarthe Rivers. Northwest France below Normandy

Guillory - Avoyelles Gullory family stems from the immigrant, Simon Guillory, who was born 1646 at Chartres sur Cher, Diocese of Blois, formerly part of Orleans Province, now part of Loire at Cher (district 41), located just a five minute drive West of Vierzon, France.

Guillot - Pierre dit Dufresne, native of Reims, France in northeast France wine regions (and where WWII ended by treaty). He lived in 1750s in Pointe Coupee, and by 1785, three of his sons, Joseph, George, and Mathurin Guillot moved to Avoyelles where they established the Guillot family. In an earlier book, Nelson Gremillion stated that Pierre Guillot was a native of Lyon, France.

H

Haas - The Haas family of southern avoyelles tie their ancestry to Ingwiller, Upper Alsace, France (Nettie Chenevert)

I

Ingouf - Louis and Jean Ingouf of Avoyelles were natives of Barneville, a port town on the English Channel, Normandy, in northwest France.

Izard - Avoyelles Frenchman Florimonde Izard was from Marseille , a major port town on the Mediterranean in the South of France.

J

Janet - Charles Janet, came to Avoyelles from France in 1854, was a native of Lous LeSonier. (This city is undoubtedly Lons-le-Saunier, in the DÈpartement du Jura, according to Thierry Bingen)

Jeansonne - Originally Johnson, the progenitor in Acadia was a Scottish soldier. He married an Acadian, as did his sons and grandchildren, and the family became assimilated, changing the surname to the French spelling. The progenitor of the Avoyelles branch of the family was Charles Jeansonne, who settled at Opelousas ca. 1767. See the Jeansonne link elsewhere on this web site.(Kathryn Combs)


Joffrion - Pierre Joffrion, was the first of the family to migrate from France. He came to Canada. Pierre Joffrion was born 1644 at Fontenay le Comte, Poitou, France, 110 miles due north of Bordeaux. Ira Couvillon wrote that oral history told to him by old timers in the early 1900s was that the Joffrion family migrated together at the same time with the Couvillon family from Canada to Louisiana.

Juneau - Jean Jouineau, native of La Rochelle, & his son Pierre, came to Quebec, Canada about 1653. Jean›s great-grandson, Claude Juneau later migrated to Pointe Coupee and is the forefather of the Avoyelles branch of this family. Juneau, Alaska, was named after a cousin of Claude.

L

LaBorde - Tartas, France (Formerly Gasony) (NOT Tarbes) (Or Fartacher, Diocese of Aix) (Aix in in Southeast corner on Mediterranean, while Landes and former Gascony are in southwest corner of France on Mediterranean)

Lachney - Migrated to Pointe Coupee from Montreal, Canada


LaCombe - Jean Baptiste LaCombe, believed to be the first LaCombe in Avoyelles, was a native of Condae, Paridord, France.

LaCour - Nicholas de la Cour, born 1700 at Error! Hyperlink reference not valid., Bishopric of Coutances, in Normandy, France, and came to the Louisiana colony as a passenger on the ship Loire which sailed from Lorient, France in 1720. Nicholas LaCour married at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, and is the forefather of all LaCours of Avoyelles. His child was killed in the Natchez Massacre of 1729. What is believed to be the home of nicholas LaCour still exsists, a simple Mud and Moss walled structure with a hipped roof. It is being restored in a private collection of colonial structures and is believed to be the oldest structure standing in the entire Mississippi Valley. Photo of Nicholas LaCour home by Freddie DeCourt (Jeri Dufour LaCour & Randy DeCuir)

LaFargue - Adolph Lafargue, forefather of the Lafargue family, and early publisher and founder of Marksville High School, was a native of Orthez, Dept of PyrÈnÈes, in the southwest corner of France.

Lemoine - Guillaume Lemoine, born 1699 at Notre Dame, LeHavre , France. Same town as the Bordelon family. See Bordelon (Nelson Gremillion)

Lubarre - Bertrand Lubarre was born 1830 at Fontrailles, Dept. of Hautes-Pyrenees , in extreme southwest France.

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Maillet - Roce, Sellomes, province of Cher, in central France, about 40 miles south Paris. Roce is located about 5 km. east of Vendome, France. (Robert Michot)

Marcotte - Two brothers, Nicolas and Jacques Marcotte, migrated from Fecamp , Normandy, France to Quebec in 1667. Near Quebec is a plaque honoring the Marcottes, near the location of one of the old family homes. Jacques Marcot, II was born at Trois Rivieres in 1673 and his son, Jean Baptiste Marcotte, II, was born at Cap Sante, Canada and migrated to Louisiana where he eventually settled at Avoyelles where he died by 1808. (Delahunt & Gremillion)

Mayer - Eugene Mayer, a tailor from Paris, was born in 1824. He migrated to Avoyelles. (Corine Saucier)

Mayeux or Mayeaux - Pierre Mayeux born 1699 at Maintenoy, ( Maintenay), Bishopric of Amiens, Picardy, in northern France between near the Atlantic Coast and Belgium. Sailed from LaRochelles, France for Louisiana in 1720 on the ship La Profound. Pierre, a wagon driver, was one of only two men spared by the Indians at the Natchez Massacre in 1729 - as he was needed by the Indians to transport the goods of the massacred victims. His occupation saved his life, and the beginning of the Mayeux name in America. Three of his grandsons moved to Avoyelles from Pt.Coupee and began the family name here.

Michot - One branch of the Michot family of Avoyelles stems from Eugene Michot who came to Barbin›s Landing after the Civil War. His ancestor was from LaCharitÈ sur Loire, in central France. Eugene HonorÈ Michot, his father has a proven royal line through the Daspit-St. Amant family of New Orleans. See: http://www.oocities.org/BourbonStreet/Delta/1725/cdf_1.htm for a history of the St. Amant-Daspit family.

Moncla - The Moncla family stems from Dr. Joseph Moncla, born about 1814 at Moncla, France, located in the region of Aquitanine, in the Province Pyrennees-Atlantique, in the southwest corner of France. Dr. Moncla and his uncle, Ambroise, moved to Avoyelles, where Dr. Moncla practiced medicine. He received his medical degree from a university in Nantes, France. (Carol Moncla Campbell)

Monin - Francois J. C. Monin, moved to Avoyelles. He was born 1810 at Soulce, (probably Soultz), Dept of Doubs, in east central France along the eastern border with Switzerland.

MOREAU - The Moreau family of Avoyelles descends from Mathurin Moreau, baptized 1644 at Notre Dame de la ChandeliËre, a church parish of Poitiers, France, son of Louis Moreau and Jeanne Laurence of the same church parish. Today, Poitier is a city in western France (now the department of Vienne). Mathurin Moreau's wife, Marie Girard, was born 1640 in the Church parish of St. Cyr-du-Vaudreuil, at Louviers in Normandy (now the department of Eure), France. She ws the daughter of Jean-Michel Girard and Charlotte Dunoyers of Louviers. Mathurin and Marie were married in Quebec in 1667, and their son, Louis Moreau, was the father of Joseph Valentine Moreau who migrated from Sillery, Quebec to Fort Chartres, Illinois and later Mobile as a crewman on trading canoes on the rivers between Canada and the vast Louisiana territory. Joseph's son, Pierre Celestine Moreau moved to Avoyelles, married a Goudeau and settled in Southern Avoyelles Parish and are the ancestors of the Avoyelles line of Moreau. (Nelson Gremillion & Alain BOURREAU of France)

Moulard - Antoine Moulard, native of Geneva, France (now in Switzerland), migrated to New Orleans in 1785. He is the ancestor of the Moulard family of Avoyelles. The Moulard's of Avoyelles have Acadian blood, as the Avoyelles Moulard ancestor married into the Acadian family of Bourque.

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Neck - George Neck immigrant of Avoyelles was born in 1812 at Lieprve, dept. of Haut-Rhin, France in the Alcase-Lorraine region of northeast France along Germany border, according to Louis Neck. Mrs. Neck, Rose Grelot, may have been from Azeralles, northwest of Baccarat, between Luneville, or from Plaine, 30 km. northwest of Lieprvre, according to research by Bobby Michot.

Normand - Jean LeNormand, born 1638 at Ige, south west of Belleme of the Perche area in Normandy. There are no Normand families living at Ige today, according to Bobby Michot. Jean migrated to Canada where he married at Quebec in 1656. A grandson, Jean Pierre Normand, born 1744, migrated first to the German Coast of Louisiana and then on to the Avoyelles Prairie about the 1790s. His brother, Daniel Normand called Gaspard, dropped the Normand part of his name and began the Gaspard family of Avoyelles. (Ted Normand)
Jean le Normand of France was the first of that family in Canada. He was the son of Gervais le Normand and Leonore Janet. Jean's paternal grandmother was Anne le Laboureur, daughter of Thomas le Laboureur and Marguerite Bardin of Caen, Normandy. Jean Gaspard Normand's mother, Francoise Jean, was born at Quebec, daughter of Denis Jean and Marie Peltier. Denis Jean was the son of Elie Jean And Elizabeth Lambade (Lambert) of Saintonge. Marie's parents were Nicolas Peltier and Jeanne Voisy of St. Pierre de Gallardon Parish, Beauce in Orleanais.
Jean Gaspard Normand, born 1712, his wife, and four sons (Jean Pierre, Daniel, Joseph, and Laurent) moved from Canada to St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, about 1765.
Jean Gaspard Normand's wife was Marie Josephe Chenier, great-granddaughter of Jean Chenier, native of Celles, Saintonge Province and the first of his family to migrate to Canada. His wife's parents, Louis Sedilot and Marie Grimoult, came to Canada from Paris, France in 1637. Jean Chenier, the grandfather of Marie, married a Ferret, whose parents were both natives of the diocese of Rouen in Normandy. Her mother's parents surnames were Duboc and LeBaron of the city of Rouen.

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PlauchÈ or Plauche - Etienne Henry PlauchÈ, native of La Seyne sur-Mer in what is now the Department du Var, France. Please note also that the name of this family, before Etienne sailed across the Ocean around 1751, was "Plauchier". This information courtesy of Thierry Bingen. See: http://www.sema.be/Plauche/
Ponthieu - Alexandre Ponthieu, native of Bordeaux , France (Also, Ponthieu is a medieval region of northern France, dept of Somme., according to Nelson Gremillion)

Poret - Isidore Poret, born c1813 at Flexicourt , 15 km northwest of Amiens in Northwestern France. (Ory Poret)

Porterie - Louis, and possibly his brother Joseph, was born 1842 at Montestruc, Dept. of Gent, France. His gravestone says Monestruc, Dept. Du Gers, France. Both Louis and Joseph migrated to Avoyelles, La. Louis migrated as a teenager from France to Louisiana, probably following his brother. (Randy DeCuir)

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Rabalais - Jean Baptiste Rabalais, the family patriarch, was a native of the city of Rochefourant, Province of Poitou, France. On the Atlantic Coast in central France. He married in 1733 at New Orleans to Marguerite Bellanger, a native of Sceaux, a suburb of Paris, daughter of Jacques Bellanger and Catherine Garboise. She was the widow of Joseph Ducro who was killed in the Natchez Massacre in November 1729. Celeste Rabalais was the first white child to be baptized in Avoyelles, as noted in the margin of the first baptism book of St. Paul's Catholic Church. Genealogist Allain Bourreaux, who lives in the Poitou, France and is director of a GenWeb page in that area, feels that Rochefourant is probably Rochefort, in the department of Charentes Maritimes (zip 17) located on the Atlantic Coast, near La Rochelle. The Bordelon family ancestor was also at Rochefort at one time.

RebouchÈ - Joseph RebouchÈ, who came to Avoyelles, was born at the province of Lorraine on Dec. 8, 1810. Lorraine is in the northeast part of France.

Regard - Feverol Regard came to Avoyelles from laJoux, department of Jura, France, located along the Switzerland border of central France.

Reynaud - Pierre, Victor, and Eugene Reynaud, who moved to Avoyelles in the mid 1800s, were natives of Poligny, Department of the High Alpes, France, located in southeast France along the Italian border.

Ricaud - Augustin Ricaud, born at Compristrous, France. He came to Avoyelles in mid 1870s.

RichÈ - The forefather of the Riche family is Louis RichÈ, born c1708 at Beaudais, Lorraine Province, Bishopric of Metz, France. Louis RichÈ died at Pointe Coupee, La. in 1749.

Robert - the Robert - a French Hugenhot family, came from Neuchatel, now part of Switzerland. Robert descendants primarily settled in Evergreen, Bunkie, and Cheneyville areas. (Carmen Moncla Hiott)

Rousseau - Don Pierre George Rousseau came from La Rochelle, Normandie, by 1776 to Louisiana. His two brothers and two sisters came with him with their father, Pierre George, a sea captain to the New World. First settled in Virginia. Don Pierre and Nicholas Rousseau came to Louisiana. Don Pierre's portrait hangs in the Cabildo in New Orleans, a Revolutionary War Soldier. Don Pierre was a friend of Gen. Lafayette. (Alberta R. Ducote & Barbara Gauthier)

Roule - Louis Roule, Avoyelles immigrant, was born at Moulins, Department of Nievre in the center of France.

Roy - The first of this family to migrate from France to Canada was Nicholas Roy, who married, at St. Therese Parish, Dieppe , Normandy, France in 1633, Jeanne LeLievre. This couple settled at Quebec, and their great-grandson, Joseph-Marie Roy, came to Pointe Coupee and is the forefather of the Roy family of Avoyelles.

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Saucier - Louis Saucier (c1632-c1675), forefather of the Saucier family of North America, migrated to Quebec from Paris, France. His father was the organist at St. Eustache Church, St. Eustache Church, in the Les Halles neighborhood, not far from the world famous Notre Dame Cathedral. Louis Saucier's wife, Gabriel Savory, was a native of St. Denis Parish, Paris. (Dr. Walter Saucier)

SAYER - Probably descends from Jean Baptiste Sayer, born at Saint Sauveur, Department de la Merte, France, on June 30, 1835, migrated to New Orleans 1856, according to his citizenship application.

St. Romain - Antoine St. Romain, II was a native of Bat. Ranne, Diocese of Cahors, Quercy, France. He married in 1737 at Canada. The St. Romain family of Avoyelles stems from this couple. Bat Ranne has not been identified by genealogist of Quercy so far, and we believe this is a misspelling of a similar named town, perhaps Saint Renne or similar. More research is needed. Quercy is an ancient princedom, and Cahors is the center and largest town of this ancient area in southern France, east of Bordeaux.

Scallan - The name changed from Escallien, and the patriarch of the family was a native of Ireland

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Tassin - Joseph Tassin, born before 1740 at Mercey, France, 20 kilometers from Evreux, in the Department of Eure, F. Just Northwest of Paris, in Upper Normandy.

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VoinchÈ - Auguste VoinchÈ, forefather of the Voinche family of Avoyelles, born 1805 at Lignyville, near Epinal, France, in the Department of Voges, Alcasses, south-east of Lorraine, according to his grandson, Harvey Voinche Kimble. Auguste built a two-story general store with a basement before the civil war which still stands in downtown Marksville. Auguste name was originally Oden Ducat, but changed it according to testimony he gave after the Civil War in a suit agains the United States for war damages. (Steve Mayeux, Havery Voinche Kimball (grandson))

VOISSEL Originally Boiselle - Pierre Boiselle, native of Canada, was first listed in the 1850 census of Avoyelles, age 50. He settled on Bayou Rouge in Avoyelles. (Source: Lyn Horswith, great-granddaughter of Edvise Boiselle Descant)

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Avoyelles Surname Photo Archives:

Photos of Avoyelles families

Send in your photos of Avoyelles families to share. Email jpeg file to Carlos Mayeux at:

decuir@ yahoo.com

Home Pages of specific Avoyelles related names:

Beauregard Family name origins by Denis Bearegard of Canada
(This page offers overview of the name's meaning, not Avoyelles descendants)

BORDELON Family Genealogy by Johnny Bordelon of Louisiana
(Johnny Bordelon's email is: JBEE@kricket.com)

BOWIE Family Genealogyby Stephen Bowie & Randy DeCuir
DeCUIR Family Genealogy by Randy DeCuir of Louisiana
GUILLORY Family Genealogy by Anthony R. Guillory of Alabama
JEANSONNE Family Genealogy by Kathryn Combs of Alabama
JUNEAU Family Organization
LaBORDE Family by Don LaBorde
Nicholas LaCour Home, oldest structure in the Mississippi Valley photo of home by Freddie DeCourt
MARCOTTE Family by Michael L. Marcotte
MAYEUX Family by Bill Botzong
MICHOT Family by the Eugene Michot family of Barbin's Landing, Red River
PLAUCH… Family Genealogy by Thierry Bingen of Belgium
SAUCIER Family Genealogy by Julien Saucier of Canada
SCALLAN E-mail by Jan Scallan, who is willing to share with other researchers of Scallan name

Family genealogy charts and files of Avoyelles families:
My Louisiana Lineage by Cathy Lemoine Sturgell


ANCESTRAL LINES OF AVOYELLES FAMILIES:
Origins of Quebec families in France, including Joffrion, Drapeau,

Check the links below for other sites of interest to Avoyelles Genealogy

Links to other sites on the Web

Avoyelles Parish Home Page
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
Avoyelles Genealogy GenWeb Page
Hainaut-Louisiana: Louisiana's Mayflower Ancestors
Avoyelles Pioneers who came from New Orleans in 1700's
Map of Normandy, where a large percentage of early Avoyelles pioneers had their origins
France GENWEB Project, accepting queries of your French ancestors
Map of Ancient Provinces of France, provinces as they were before 1789 revolution.
Avoyelles Pioneers Migration Patterns
Canadian Families origins in France Many of the Avoyelles French families, such as Marcotte, Normand, who came through Quebec, are indexed here in this site similar to our own site, but concentrating on the French-Canadians.
Acadian Family Names of Louisiana Here are many of the Acadian names of the area south of Avoyelles. As a general rule, when you hear one of these, you know its cajun, with the exception of the names such as Maillet and Braud which had both Acadian and direct French immigrants.
Pt. Coupee Militia of 1777: Avoyelles soldiers in the Amerrican Revolutionary War
Fort deRussy Civil War Fort of Marksville

Interactive Map of France by MapQuest

Avoyelles Books available for Lookups by Michael Miller

Avoyelles Biography Project
This project is part of the U.S. Biography Project. Click here to read biographies of 19th century Avoyelleans.

la Commission des Avoyelles historical Society of Avoyelles

State and Federal office holders of Avoyelles

Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana email group

Subscribe to Avoyelles Parish Louisiana email list by sending a message to LAAVOYEL-L-request@rootsweb.com that contains the word

subscribe

and nothing else.

Sign the Avoyelles Guestbook
View Fellow Avoyelleans who have signed the Guestbook

Visit other Louisiana Genealogy Sites - WebRing

Visitor Number to Avoyelles Family Names

Click here to go to the Avoyelles Main Page

Discover your Avoyelles roots in France:

A Special tour of France was organized for the summer of 1999 to visit the towns of origins of Avoyelles French families. Click here for more details:

Avoyelles Tours France

- - - - - - - - - - -

Special event for Normand descendants:

Descendants of the Normand family of Avoyelles were invited to the

Normand family reunion in Quebec, Canada

© 1997

Maps and Books of France available for purchase here on line

Avoyelles Genealogy in association with Amazon.com, is pleased to recommend the following books/maps on France if you are planning a trip to your native area or just want to know more:

Michelin Road Atlas of France
Hardcover / Published 1998br

Cultural Atlas of France
(Cultural Atlas Series)
~ Ships in 2-3 days John Ardagh, Colin Jones / Hardcover / Published 1991 (30%)


Search for your Family Winebr The Wine Atlas of France ~ Usually ships in 24 hours Hugh Johnson, Hubrecht Duijker / Hardcover / Published 1997


Bed & Breakfast in France 1997
(Travel With Someone You Trust) ~ Usually ships in 24 hours The American Automobile Association / Paperback / Published 1997 Availability: This title usually ships within 24 hours.



Michelin Brittany : In Your Pocket (1996)
Paperback, 128 pages Published by Michelin Travel Publications Publication date: January 1997 Dimensions (in inches): 0.32 x 6.45 x 4.21 ISBN: 2066301019 .

Michelin NormandyMichelin Green Guide : Normandy (English Edition, 2nd Ed). Paperback - 332 pages 2nd edition (May 1996)

Books about Avoyelles

Avoyelles: Crossroads of LouisianaBy Dr. Sue Eakin and La Commission Des Avoyelles: A pictorial History of Avoyelles ISBN: 9997792270 .

Twelve Years a Slave 1841-1853 (Jewels from the Past) Solomon Northup, Sue,Dr. Eakin Try an out-of-print order Availability: This title is out of print. Although it is no longer available from the publisher, we'll query our network of used bookstores for you and send an update within one to two weeks.ASIN: 0944419178

Books about French Immigration to Louisiana

The Foreign French, Vol. 1Nineteenth Century French Immigration into Louisiana, Volume 1by Carl A. Brasseaux. Our Price: $39.95 Hardcover Vol 001 (December 1990) Univ of Southwestern Louisiana; ISBN: 0940984563

The Foreign French, Vol. 2Nineteenth Century French Immigration into Louisiana, 1840-1848 by Carl A. Brasseaux / Hardcover / Published 1992 Our Price: $25.00 (Special Order) Hardcover Vol 001 (December 1990) Univ of Southwestern Louisiana; ISBN: 0940984717

Book a condo on the Historic Gulf Coast

Spend a few days relaxing on the Gulf of Mexico near the path of the 1720 ships which brought the French Louisiana Colonists
VIisit historic Pensacola-Mobile-Biloxi, old forts and museums, Ship Island and Mobile Bay where the French boats landed in Louisiana.

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