Bergeau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• France

Etymology of Bergeau

The name Bergeau was first used by a family in the southwestern French region called Gascogne. It was a name for someone who lived near a rocky hill, deriving its origin from the Old French word berge, meaning rocky hill or mountain, and indicates that the original bearer of the name lived near such a landform.

Early Origins of the Bergeau family

Early History of the Bergeau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bergeau research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1385, 1650 and 1810 are included under the topic Early Bergeau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bergeau Spelling Variations

Throughout the course of history most surnames have undergone changes for many reasons. During the early development of the French language, a son and father may not have chosen to spell their name the same way. Many are simple spelling changes by a person who gave his name, phonetically, to a scribe, priest, or recorder. Many names held prefixes or suffixes which became optional as they passed through the centuries, or were adopted by different branches to signify either a political or religious adherence. Hence, we have many spelling variations of this name, Bergeau some of which are Laberge, La Berge, de Berge, de la Berge, Desberges, de Berghes and many more.

Early Notables of the Bergeau family

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

Migration of the Bergeau 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 Bergeau surname were Robert de La Berge, who settled in New France, at the age of 20. He spent most of his life in Ange Gardien, near the city of Quebec, where he established himself as a manufacturer and vendor of lime. He died in 1712 leaving behind him numerous and illustrious descendants throughout French Canada. Louis Berge settled in Louisiana in 1718.