Dupond History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Dupond

What does the name Dupond mean?

The French name Dupond first arose during the Medieval period in the Languedoc region. It is derived from when the family first lived in Languedoc. The name Dupond is derived from the Old French word "pont", which means "bridge". "Du pont" directly translates to English as "from the bridge", indicating that the original bearer lived near a prominent bridge. 1

Early Origins of the Dupond family

The surname Dupond was first found in Languedoc where the family held a family seat in ancient times.

This ancient family is recorded in the old archives as early as the 12th century. N. Dupont, born in 1490, is recorded as the father of Thomas and Robert Dupont. Their descendants held the positions of Royal Notary to the Marquisate and Magistrate of Fiennes for a century. Nicolas Dupont was the King's steward and in 1640 he received his letters patent confirming his nobility.

Members of this noble family took part in the wars of their times where they fought courageously for their King and country. As a reward for their services, many members were titled Knights of Malta and Captains. This family were actively involved in the events of the French Revolution and the resultant political and cultural changes.

Gilles Dupont, born in 1636, son of Guillaume and Marguerite (née Feraut), travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. He settled at Cap-de-la-Madeleine and married Françoise Michelotte, born in 1655, daughter of Michel and Marguerite (née Maistre), on 10th August 1670. 2

Early History of the Dupond family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dupond research. Another 266 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1791, 1808, 1810, 1812, 1830 and 1831 are included under the topic Early Dupond History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dupond Spelling Variations

There were a great number of spelling variations in French surnames. One reason for this was the wide variety of cultural influences present in France during the early development of the French language. The many spelling variations of the name include Dupont, du Pont, Duppont, Duppon, Dupon, Dupons, Duppons, Duppond, Dupond, DuPon, DuPont, Dupen, Du Pen, du Pen, du Pons, du Pond and many more.

Early Notables of the Dupond family

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

Dupond Ranking

In France, the name Dupond is the 213^rd most popular surname with an estimated 16,446 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Dupond family

By 1643 there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Since immigration was slow, early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. 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. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The distinguished family name Dupond has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Dupond were Mr. or Mrs. Dupont, aged 26; who settled in New York in 1822; Edmund Dupont, aged 20; settled in New Orleans in 1820; Edmund Dupont, aged 26; settled in New York in 1820.

Contemporary Notables of the name Dupond (post 1700) +

Patrick Dupond (b. 1959), French dancer

Sources +

Dauzat, Albert, Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionaire Étymologique des Noms et Prénoms de France. Paris: Librairie Larousse, 1987. Print.
Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/