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Maisonneuve

Maisonneuve is a French surname derived from the phrase maison neuve, meaning "new house." It is borne by several individuals of French origin, most notably Paul Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve (circa 1612–1676), a French-Canadian military officer who, with Jeanne Mance, founded the city of Montreal as Ville-Marie in 1642. Maisonneuve is thus associated with the early colonization of New France and the establishment of what would become Montreal.

The name has left a lasting mark in Canadian toponymy. In Montreal and the surrounding area, streets,

Outside Canada, Maisonneuve remains a hereditary surname found among French-speaking populations and their descendants. The spelling

squares,
and
public
spaces
bear
the
surname,
including
a
major
boulevard
in
downtown
Montreal
named
after
Maisonneuve.
The
name
is
also
used
for
educational
and
cultural
institutions
in
Quebec
and
is
widely
recognized
in
discussions
of
Montreal’s
origins.
Maisonneuve
is
the
standard
form;
variations
are
rare.
The
name
continues
to
be
primarily
a
family
name
and
a
historical
symbol
associated
with
the
founding
of
one
of
Canada’s
major
cities.