Charles Chevalier

Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Pierre, Patrice, Serge, Gabrielle, Jacques, Marcel, Michel, Raoul, Sylvain, Adelore, Antoine.

French: from Old French chevalier ‘knight’ (literally ‘horseman, rider’, from Late Latin caballarius, a derivative of caballus ‘horse’). In the Middle Ages only men of comparative wealth were able to afford the upkeep of a riding horse. It is likely that in the majority of cases the surname was originally a nickname, or an occupational name for a knight's servant, rather than a status name, for most men of the knightly class belonged to noble families which had more specific surnames derived from their estates. This was a name of Norman origin in England but probably did not survive the medieval period, and was later reintroduced by Huguenot refugees.

History: Joseph Chevalier from Dieppe in Seine-Maritime, France, married Françoise-Marthe Barton in Montreal, QC, in 1670. Pierre Chevalier dit Labbé and Duchesne from Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult in Charente-Maritime, France, married Marie-Madeleine Ménard in Montreal, QC, in 1697. — In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Alexis Dulignon dit Chevalier (a descendant of Jean Dulignon from La Rochefoucaud in Charente, France), who married Judith (de) Billy in Louiseville, QC, in 1778. — This surname is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society's register of qualified Huguenot ancestors and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America.