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Association of descendants
of Paul Vachon
(Vachon and Pomerleau families)

The names

The names we bear go way back in history. Among the Romans, there were first names, surnames, and nicknames. The barbarian invasions and the advent of Christianity caused this system to disappear. The only survivor is the first name. Christianity wanted to oppose Roman paganism in this way and emphasize the person's entry into his new spiritual family. We are between the 4th and 10th centuries. The names of saints and martyrs were invoked. Moreover, in the Germanic tradition widespread in Europe, the individual was only one member among others of a clan. The important thing was that he recognized himself in his clan. And the first names of Germanic origin were added to the others.

But hereditary transmission and demographic growth impoverished the number of names available. And now, between the 10th and 13th centuries, a companion for the given name emerged – the surname. This period marked the progression of individualism. Although the surname was not compulsory, it survived the centuries to become what we call the family name or surname, the usage of which became hereditary between the 13th and 14th centuries. In fact, the Ordinance of Villers-Coterrêts of 1539 decreed that henceforth newborn babies would be "baptized under the name of their father".

There are several types of surnames. For example, the addition of the father's name to that of the child can give rise to names like Jean-Pierre, meaning Jean son of Pierre, a phenomenon found in several countries. Examples include Johnson among the English, MacDonald among the Scots, Fitzpatrick among the Anglo-Normans, and Petropoulos among the Greeks. Linguistic evolution and diminutives also contributed to the results we know today. For instance, Simon became Sommonot, then Notin. Additionally, surnames could be based on physical characteristics (e.g., Leroux), moral traits (e.g., Lebon), occupations (e.g., Boulanger for baker), offices (Senechal), positions or social status (e.g., Laîné for eldest), locations (e.g., Langlois for someone from the woods), or objects (e.g., Martel for hammer). Since these surnames were not chosen by individuals but assigned, they were often infused with a sense of mischief. There are no older or younger surnames, all trace back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The Black Death of the 14th century, which wiped out a quarter of Europe's population, also led to the disappearance of many surnames.

We count ourselves fortunate that ours has survived. If all surnames trace back to the 12th and 13th centuries, how old is ours really? Let's not forget that in this field, as in so many others, there is no spontaneous generation.

Text by Daniel Pomerleau