Prinseau

also Princeau

Like the closely related Favreaus, the Prinseau family originated in the small port of Aytré, near La Rochelle (parish of St-Étienne). Its small harbor, now a marina, is pictured above.

Jean Prinseau and his wife Marie Griffot or Grissot lived in Aytré in the mid-seventeenth century, but we know nothing further about them. We also know of only one child, Louis, born there in March 1643 and worked as a tailor before emigrating to Québec about 1670. There on July 28, 1672 he married Marie-Reine Charpentier, who was ten years younger and a "fille du roi.". We know of three daughters: Marie-Jeanne (born October 1676-1701, married Louis Greslon dit LaViolette), Marie-Anne (1674, married Jean Gendra or Gendron in 1696) and Marie-Madeleine, born January 24, 1679. Louis Prinseau died in January 1680, after which Marie-Reine married again, to Etienne Domingo dit Carabi, and had six more daughters (see Charpentier). She died in January 1727 in Montréal.

Marie-Madeleine Prinseau married Pierre Jean on June 1, 1700 in Québec City; they had eleven children, and were great-great-great grandparents of Marie Eva Jean Martin.