LeBlanc & Angot “Two Historically Connected Acadian Families”

Date: About 0918 to about 1086
Location: Normandy - France,
Surnames/tags: Angot Augot LeBlanc

“Two Historically Connected Acadian Families” who show up in the early records of Normandy as being parts of the same family & the same historical event. The Norman Conquest of England.

It is important to note that "Family Names" were not in common use at that time in history but family names were rather like descriptions of ones personality, physical characteristics, place of birth, etc... When Family Names were required, the family often chose the name that was associated with their most important family member from the recent past.

My wife is descended from the LeBlanc Family, which is one of the largest most well-known of all Acadian families. My own lineage is through the Angot family, which is one of the smallest & least known Acadian families.

Some years ago, in researching the origins of LeBlanc family, I found that most sources agreed that the LeBlanc Family Name first appeared in Normandy, France around the 10th-11th Century & that the earliest records of the name were strongly associated with the time of Duke William & his invasion & Conquest of England. Coincidentally, the earliest French references to the Angot Family Name also occurs at the same time & in the same general context.

Among the prominent soldiers of “William the Conqueror” was the “Brave & Noble Knight Turstain Fitz Rou Le Blanc (1045-1086)”. Some believe that Turstain Le Blanc was the cousin of William the Conqueror & both were descended from Rollo - First Duke of Normandy (the Norse invader who was the founder of Normandy). William’s lineage is clear & he is accepted as being the great grandson of Duke Rollo, but the lineage of Turstain Le Blanc is a little more disputed. It is accepted that his father was Rollo d’Bec & his grandfather was Crispin Angot d’Bec (946-1010).

Crispin Angot lived during the time when the Normans were still consolidating their hold on Northern France & they were ruling their new territory with an iron fist. Crispin was the Lord/Baron of the city of Bec which means that he & his family were trusted allies of the Norse/Norman rulers. Some claim that Crispin was the son of Crispina d’Normandy, daughter of Duke Rollo d’Normandy. The names of Crispin's family members, the position of power he held, the positions held by several other family members all point to the possibility that there may be some truth in the claim.

If Crispin Angot was the son of Crispina then both he & Turstain were direct descendant of Rollo d’Normandy & both would be cousins of King William The Conqueror of England.

As an additional note, Crispin Angot’s father is said to have been Guillaume Turstain le Blanc d’Bec (918-1000). Regardless of the Family's actual relationship with Rollo & his grandson William, it seems clear that the ancient history of the Angot Family & the LeBlanc Family were very closely connected & possibly share the same family root in France.

Well at the very least, it is clear that my family & my wife’s family have been tangled together for over a thousand years. The two names & their origins in France seem to be inseparable from the beginning.