A text from Michel Granger about origin of name Trahan

If one believes the 1671 Port Royal census, Guillaume TRAHAN would have been born abt 1611, that seems difficult to believe as it means that he would have married at 16 years of age in 1627.
On the other hand Montreuil Bellay's registers, though stating a place of origin for the family, does not indicate its birth for this year as having taken place there. Registers are missing from June, 1607 till February, 1609, could have been born during this time? Or perhaps he was born about 1604 and could have been his parents first child.

We know the names of his relatives thanks to the marriage certificate, discovered by M Jean Marie Germe: Nicolla TRAHAN and Renée Desloges.

Children of Nicolla TRAHAN and Renée Desloges:

         Renée, baptized on April 2, 1605 at Montreuil Bellay
         Anne, baptized on February 5, 1607 at Montreuil Bellay, married Pierre Mollay in 1623   (6 listed children)
         Guillaume, born credibly by 1608
         Nicolas, unknown date of birth, married Leonarde Billiard (2 listed children) before 1633
         François, unknown date of birth, engaged on September 5, 1632 at Montreuil Bellay, with Renée Pinsonneau. (4 children listed in 2 marriages)
         Renée, baptized on February 28, 1612 at Montreuil Bellay.
         Lucrèce, baptized on November 14, 1614 at Montreuil Bellay

CHINON's region

Chronology:

1600-1610 Guillaume TRAHAN's birth in Montreuil Bellay's region.

In July 13, 1627 Guillaume TRAHAN's marriage with Françoise Corbineau at Chinon

Transcription of the marriage certificate of July 13, 1627 church St Etienne de Chinon

                Le 13eme de Juillet 1627 fut épouse
                Guillaume Trahâ fils de Nicollas Trahân
                de Reneé Desloges
                                avec
                Françoise Corbineau de cette paroisse
                St Estienne présents ledit Nicollas Trahân
                père du dit Trahân....... Pierre Ligie
                Pierre Baudry dame Anne Ligier
                femme de Me Gellin assistes aux
                Magdeleine leger
                                Boyre        
                P.Liger

Marriage certificate

1629 Jeanne TRAHAN's birth (future wife of Jacques Bourgeois)

In September 5, 1632 (on 14-th Sunday after Pentecote) Guillaume TRAHAN signs the act of engagement of his brother François with Renée Pinsonneau.

? Birth of a girl (was this the future wife of Germain DOUCET)??

1635 returned Judgment against Guillaume TRAHAN for illicit wooden cutting in the forest of Bourgueil.

Extracted from the judgment returned by Chinon's mastery:
        " Les habitants des paroisses St Germain et St Nicolas de Bourgueil, le procureur joinct........ et en outre Messire Léonor d'étampes......ordonne à trois religieux, deux écuyers, un garde marteau de la fôret de Bourgueil, Guillaume TRAHAN........et quelques autres personnes que ce qui a esté entrepris, usurpé et déffriché par lesdictz deffendeurs des appartenances et dépendances de ladicte fôretz de  Bourgueil depuis 40 ans en ladicte conservée par les procès verbaux de visitation et d'arpentaige et prétendus baux à rente que nous avons déclaré nulz et de nul effect, sera réuny  en l'avenir au corps de ladicte forêtz de Bourgueil.......faisant inhibition expresse ausdictz deffendeurs et tout aultres de deffricher abattre ne couper aucun bois ........ne changer la nature d'icelle à peine de 500 livres d'amende..... sont condamnés ..... le dict Duberlé en 50 livres d'amende ......le dict TRAHAN 20 livres d'amende et soixante dix livres pour la valleur et estymation du jeune bois qui estoit en deux arpents qu'il a fait arrachez dont partie a esté trouvée en sa maison et oultre en quarante livres pour les domaiges et intêretz.....".

For many authors, this austere judgment was the reason for Guillaume TRAHAN's departure for new France.

In April 1-st, 1636 Departure of Guillaume TRAHAN from La Rochelle
Guillaume TRAHAN is a passenger on the St Jean which leaves of La Rochelle on April 1-st, 1636.
One reads:
Guillaume TRAHAN, maréchal de tranchant, avec sa femme et deux enfants et un valet, aussi de Bourgueil.

A small debate has ensued about Guillaume TRAHAN's profession, for some the "Maréchal de tranchant" is the one that fabricates tools sharp edges.
For others they believe it to be another individual and not a trade. Could this be the Marshal of Tranchant, the reason for asking this is that the name which precedes Guillaume TRAHAN on the list of the St Jean is that of the Noël Tranchant.
Personally I believe that the first solution is correct and he was Edge-tool maker by profession.

In September 21, 1639 Jeanne TRAHAN, daughter of Guillaume TRAHAN is godmother of the daughter of Charles Menou and Jeanne Motin. Jeanne Motin was also on the St Jean. Some authors assert that Guillaume TRAHAN and Michel Boudrot attended this marriage as property managers of the inhabitants of Port Royal. I was not able to verify this, and it too bad that I could not. We shall see why further on.

October 29, 1639. Guillaume TRAHAN is a witness at Bourgueil in François Faby's marriage with Catherine Gaygnard. He affixes the signature at the end of the act.

Another Guillaume TRAHAN's signature appears on a badly identified act following the precedent, this time this first name is not complete

In July 14, 1640 Guillaume TRAHAN is brought to give evidence in an information against Latour, together with Germain Doucet and Isaac Pesseley.

In January 20, 1649 Guillaume TRAHAN's name appears in Charles de Menou's will. He asks his wife not to forget the woman of Guillaume TRAHAN.
« . Je la suplye davoir soin de laverdure de sa femme elle noublira pas la femme Guillaume TRAHAN et le tout autant que nostre bon dieu luy donnera les moiens et des richesses Je la prye de tout mon cour qu'elle me pardonne tous les subjects de déplaisir que je luy ay rendus. »

In August 16, 1654 Guillaume TRAHAN signs the act of surrender of Port Royal, his name is spelt Guillaume Trouen and he is a property manager of the inhabitants.

1666 Guillaume TRAHAN remarries with Madeleine Brun daughter of Vincent Brun and Renée Breau.

It is necessary to note that Guillaume TRAHAN is in Acadie for 30 years and that since the arrival there had been no birth for the couple TRAHAN CORBINEAU. Why?

1667 Guillaume's birth

1668 Jean Charles's birth.

1670 Alexandre's birth.

1672 Marie's birth.

1673 Birth of a girl?

1674 Jeanne's birth

1678 Madeleine's birth

1684 Deathes of Guillaume TRAHAN.

This Chronology and documents raise some questions.
On September 21, 1639 Guillaume TRAHAN appears to be in Acadie, it would be necessary to verify the act of baptème for Marie the daughter of Charles de Menou to see the names of witnesses, is it possible to be also witness of a marriage in France on October 29, 1639 one month later?
To know if signatures found in France are truly those of Guillaume TRAHAN, and to compare them with the one that appears on the act of surrender of Port Royal is of the highest importance.
If the signatures would be totally different that asumed then there would have been two Guillaume TRAHAN.
It would mean that all possible avenues were not researched. The role of the St jeans gives a whole list of persons native of Bourgueil. It would be interesting to examine these names.
I think that only that of the Pierre Martin was studied.

Rôle des paysans d'Anjou qui sont passés sur le navire- Saint-Jehan pour travailler en la Nouvelle-France.
                         Premièrement :
Tibault Destouches, avec sa femme et trois enfants, laboureur de la -paroisse de Bourgueil proche de Chinon,
Pierre Martin, laboureur, avec sa femme et un enfant, demeurant à- Bourgueil,
Jehan Mangoneau, laboureur, avec sa femme et un enfant, aussi de- Bourgueil,
Pierre Choiseau, laboureur, avec sa femme et deux enfants, aussi de -Bourgueil,
La veuve Perigault avec Michel et Julien Perigault, ses enfants,- aussi de Bourgueil, laboureurs,
Hadrien Benoiston, laboureur, aussi de Bourgueil,
      ? ? ? ? laboureur, aussi de Bourgueil,
Julien Aury, laboureur, aussi de Bourgueil,
Pierre Le Moine, laboureur, aussi de Bourgueil,
Nouel Tranchant, laboureur, aussi de Bourgueil,
Guillaume TRAHAN, maréchal de tranchant, avec sa femme et deux- enfants et un valet, aussi de Bourgueil,
Louis Deniau, de la ville de Chinon, tonnelier,
Philippe Rat, de la ville de Chinon, tailleur d'habits,
Daniel Chichereau, aussi de la ville de Chinon, tailleur d'habits,
Jehan Danjon, aussi de la ville de Chinon, laboureur,
Michel Callant, aussi de la ville de Chinon, laboureur,
Jehan Vache, aussi de la ville de Chinon, savatier,

A second hypothesis have been moved forward by René Perron (Amitiés Acadiennes N°66).
He thinks that Guillaume TRAHAN would have been recruited by Nicolas Le Creux, who after returning to France seems to have relations in the region of Monceau les mines. By studying the registers of this region, numerous TRAHAN were found,especially at Perrecy les Forges and Génelard, one even finds a place said " The cutting TRAHAN", this region seem also very rich in Acadiens surnames: Martin, Saunier, Boudrot, Godin, Cosmeau .

The TRAHAN in France nowadays

There are not many TRAHAN in France nowadays, most are Acadiens descendants, such as those listed in Brittany, (5 families in Belle Ile en Mer), or those of Boulogne sur Mer. The only ones who would not be Acadiens, are the 4 families listed to Cercay in Maine and Loire, one a wine grower who makes an excellent local wine of Anjou.

François Roux 1999
and Lucie Leblanc Consentino for the translation