Show ContentsBodry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bodry

What does the name Bodry mean?

The origins of the name Bodry belongs to a very particular southern region that was once known as Languedoc. The name is derived from the ancient Norman personal name Baldric.

Early Origins of the Bodry family

The surname Bodry was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where the family held a family seat since ancient times.

During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the family established branches in Balzac in Burgundy (Bourgogne), and in the sixteenth century in Poitou, a new seat at Touche in Brittany, and in Agenais in Normandy. Many members of this notable family distinguished themselves through their contributions on the battlefield, in their community and for the King and country.

Urbain Beaudry was born on 6th January 1615 in Anjou, France. He travelled to Quebec, Canada in the 17th century, where he worked at Trois-Rivières and Cap-de-la-Madeleine as an edge-tool maker. He eventually married and had eleven children. Urbain was buried at Trois-Rivières in 1682. 1

Early History of the Bodry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bodry research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bodry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bodry Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous alterations in spelling because of the various cultural groups that inhabited specific regions. Eventually, each region possessed its own local dialect of the French language. The early development of the French language, however, was also influenced by other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Bodry is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Beaudry, Beaudri, Beaudrie, Beaudris, Beauddry, Beauddri, Beauddrie, Beauddris, Bodry, Bodri, Bodrie, Bodris, Boddry, Boddri, Boddrie, Boddris, Baudry, Baudri, Baudrie, Baudris, Bauddry, Bauddri, Bauddrie, Bauddris, Beudry, Beudri, Beudrie, Beudris, Beuddry, Beuddri, Beuddrie and many more.

Early Notables of the Bodry family

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

Migration of the Bodry family

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec, in 1663 there were only 500, 2,000 migrants arrived 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 migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Migration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the 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. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many distinguished contributions have been made by members of this family name Bodry. It has been prominent in the arts, religion, politics and culture in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Bodry were Pindence Beaudry who settled in San Francisco in 1850; Pierre Baudry who settled in Virginia in 1700; Louis Baudry, son of Toussaint and Françoise Archambault, who married Catherine Picard in 1720 and married again Marguerite Lacombe, daughter of Jean and Marie Millet in 1728.



  1. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print


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