"Québédeaux, including its many variants, seems to be a uniquely Louisiana surname, and a considerable number of families bearing this surname cn be found in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas. QUEBEDAUX, QUEBEDAU OR QUEBEDO According to the Historical Research Center the surname Quebedeaux (x) and its variants Quebedo and Quevedos may be of three different origins. Firstly, the name may be a French form of the Spanish Quevedos, the "v" in Spanish being pronounced as "b". In this issuance, the name is of local origin, derived from the place where the initial bearer once lived or held land. Here the name would indicate one who came from Quevedo in the region of Andalusia in the province of Malago in South Spain. Etymologically speaking, it is believed that this place name is derived from contraction of the phrase "pero que ejos", meaning "what eyes". Alternatively, the name may have come about by the fact that a notable bearer of this name, Francisco Gomez Quevedo (1580?1645), a Spanish poet, was drawn wearing eyeglasses, and thus the term "quevedo" (pince?nez) came about. However in some instances the name may be of occupational origin, descriptive of the trade or profession of the initial bearer. Here the name is derived from the French word "bedeau(x), meaning a beadle or venger. A beadle or venger was a minor parish officer, a church caretaker or usher. QUEBEDAU QUEBEDAUX OR QUEBEDO COAT OF ARMS QUEBEDO ? (de) ? Brab., orig. d'Esp. (Rec. de nob., 12 janv. 1876) Parti: au 1 d'azur a trois fleurs?de?lis d'or, rangees en pal; au 2 d'arg. a une chaudiere de sa., surm. d'une face du meme. Au drapeau deploye de gu a la hampe d'or, br. sur le parti. Le toute renferme dans un orle d'herm entouree d'une bord. de gu., ch de mots: "YO SOY AQUEL QUEVEDO EL QUE A LOS MOROS IMPIDO PASSEN a DONDE SUR REY LES MANDO", en lettres d'or. BLAZON OF ARMS: Per pale, first azure, three fleur de lia or, placed in pale; second per fess a) argent, b) argent, a cauldron sable with a lance handled or, point in chief, flying a flag wavy gules to the sinister, within a border ermine; all within a border gules charged with the words "Yo say aquel quevedo el que a los moros impidio pasasen a donde su rey les mando" or. TRANSLATION: The fleur de lis is a symbol of faith, Wisdom and valor. The cauldron was granted in a coat of arms to one who took part in a particular battle. The words say "I am the Quevedo who stopped the Moors from going where their king had ordered them". CREST: The fleur de lis of the arms. ORIGIN: France. And in the Dictionary of Spanish American Surnames in Southwestern United States" we find: "The name Québédeaux seems to be of Spanish origin and is a corruption of the name or word "Quevedo" ? which is probably a combined word that comes from a contraction of the expression "pero que ojos" meaning "but what eyes". It is not known if the expression is admiration or horror. (G.A.) Castellian name from mountains of Santander (J.A.) ("A Dictionary of Spanish American Surnames in Southwestern United States" by Woods, Alveray and Altman pg. 113) The name Québédeaux is further discussed on page 123 in Robert C. West's "ATLAS OF LOUISIANA SURNAMES OF FRENCH AND SPANISH ORIGIN" "Québédeaux, including its many variants, seems to be a uniquely Louisiana Surname. (Robert C. West) "Today it is rare, if not completely lacking in France and French Canada, and recent telephone directories of Paris, Quebec and Montreal do not list the name or any of its variants. (Robert C. West, "An Atlas of Louisiana Surnames of French and Spanish Origin, p.186) The principal variants of the name Québédeaux include Québédeaux, Quibédeaux, Kibodeaux and Kébodeaux. The latter two occur mainly in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. (Robert C. West ? "An Atlas of Louisaian Surnames of French and Spanish Origin" ? page 186) QUEBEDEAUX FAMILY LINE JOSEPH QUEVEDO (QUEBEDEAUX) DIT L'ESPAGNOL, ca. 1740 (The following information was copied from from the index of: ("VILLAGE OF CHARTRES ? COLONIAL ILLINOIS , 1720?1765" and pages 230, 232 and 238 ? "LOUISIANA POPULATION ? des Forts Frantais?d'Amerique ? Tome II) Québédeaux, Francoise p. 17; D88, 176, m. Nicolas Provaux Québédeaux, Joseph, m. Marie Antoine, D74 Québédeaux, Joseph, m. Marianne Beau dau. of Frantois ? D176 Québédeaux, Marie Janne ? D?241, 270, 327 Québédeaux, Marie Joseph (Lespagniole) mar. Maturin Pineaux; m. Thomas Lavel; mar. Claude Tinon D 74, 99?176, 214, 318, 321, 341. ( D. 74 p. 1026 (Index to names) "VILLAGE OF CHARTRES ? COLONIAL ILLINOIS , 1720?1765") Joseph Québédeaux, m. Marie Antoine ( D. 74 p. 1026 (Index to names) "VILLAGE OF CHARTRES ? COLONIAL ILLINOIS , 1720?1765") Joseph Le Québédeaux, (Quevedo) dit L'Espagniol and Marie Antoine, native of the city and Diocese of Paris ( D?74 , p. 53 Village of Chartres Colonial Illinois 1720?1753) Joseph Quebedau ??????Marie?Anne Antoine Beau (Oginally Quevedo) b. Diocese of Paris, France moved to Fort de Chartres in Illinois and resided on the prairie of St. Philyppe in the parish of St. Anne in New Chartres in Colonial Illinois. Quebedeau - Quebedeaux - Quibodeaux - Kuibodeaux - Kibodeaux, etc., The surname Quebedeau or Quebedeaux first appeared as a family name in North America on 1 March 1745 in the marriage record of Marie Joseph L'Espagniole (Quevedo or Quebedeaux) , residents of the parish St. Anne of Fort de Chartres, one of the French posts along the Mississippi River in Illinois, Marie Joseph L'Espagniole (Quevedo or Quebedeaux ) was the daughter of Joseph Le Quebedeaux and Marie-Antoine Beau. Marie-Antoine Beau was born in the diocese of Paris in France. (Brown ? Dean "The Village of Chartres In Colonial Illinois 1720?1765" p. 53 (D?74)) The name Joseph Quevedo, was Gallicized by the French the name to Quebedeau and Quebedeaux. Later the spellings Quibodeaux, Kuibodeaux, Kibodeaux, etc., came into being. Missy Burke, while researching the "Colonial Accounts of Joseph Quevedo, found in the Kaskaskia Manuscripts, on microfilm, from Illinois Regional Archives Depository. The first number in the four-part document represents the year in which the action took place (for example: 23 = 1723). The second number represents the month, the third represents the day, and the fourth represents the number of the document produced that day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- On Sept: 16, 1723, document 23:9:16, (2pp. Pub. II, 30); Sept 26, 1723, document 23:9:26:1 (3pp. Pub. II, 30) and Nov. 15, 1723, document 23:11:15:1 (3pp. Priv. II, 7) (See: 23:12:26:1), Dec. 26, 1723, a Quebedee, the younger was one of four witnesses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- In 1734 document (34:--:--:42 ) the Sale of a house by Quevedo to Mr. Marin. and in 1735 (35;--;--;14) the Sale of land by Lespagnol to Ambroise Morau. (This name was under Quebedo in the index with directive "see also".) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- On March 28, 1738 (38:3:28:1) Contract to hire Joseph Quebedo by Peltier, with the permission of Quebedo's parents. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- On Nov 21, 1741(41:11:21:1) Agreement between Marin and Lespagnol. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- On Sept 11, 1744 (44:9:11:1) Contract to hire Quebedo by La Pointe. On Feb 26, 1745 (45:2:26:1) The Marriage contract of Mathurin Pinau of Fort de Chartres, son of Pierre Pinau and Anne Baret, of Nantes, widower of the late Marie; and Marie Joseph Quebedo, daughter of Marianne Antoinnette Beau and the late Joseph Quebedo, of Fort de Chartres. The bride agrees to care for Pinau's children by his first wife. Executed at Fort de Chartres. Wit.: Hubert Pinet; Phillippe Dagnio; M. and Mme. Vodry; Pierre Bouviez; Barrois. (2pp. Priv. IV, 43) and on 1745 July 20, 1745 (45:7:20:1) - Marriage contract between Nicolas Provot dit Blondin, of St. Phillipe du Grand Marais, widower of the late Marie Therese Kiermer, son of Claude Provot and of the late Marianne Borgne, of Boulogne, diocese of Boulogne, parish of Lonvilliers de St. Nicolas, and Marie Francoise Quebedau, daughter of the late Joseph Quebedau, and Marianne Antoine Beau, of Kaskaskia. Bride agrees to care for Provot's children by his first wife. Executed at St. Phillipe. Wit.: Jean Baptiste Chauvin; Pierre Butaut; Pierre Colet; Jacques Millet; (3pp. Priv. IV, 52) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Missy Burke also states that, at the Acadian attraction in Lafayette called Vermilionville, there is a house which is called "Le Presbytere" which is being displayed as a priest's house. It was actually built by one of our Quebedeaux ancestors at Prairie des Femmes (Prairie of the Women) between Grand Coteau and Arnaudville. You can visit the Vermilionville site at: http://www.vermilionville.org Joseph Quebedeau, dit l'Espagnol was married to Marie Antoine Beau, or Marianne Beau, daughter of Francois Beau who was native of the city and Diocese of Paris. When he married Marie Antoine, and why he settled in Colonial Illinois. Joseph Quebedeau and Marie Antoine Beau were living, with their family at Village Chartres (Fort Chartres) on the Prairie de St- Philippe, paroisse de Sainte Anne of Fort Chartres in Colonial Illinois, where they raised several children. (D-74 , p. 53 also - D176 - Brown and Dean - Village of Chartres Colonial Illinois 1720-1753) Joseph's nick name, "L'Espagnol", indicates that he was a Spaniard originally named Quevedo, which was later Gallicized to Quebedau. The records are not clear. I guess we can assume that Joseph Quebedeau's wife was from Paris. But were they married in Paris? Was Joseph a French citizen with the Spanish surname of Quevedo, but like so many Quebedeauxs of today, have married many women of non-Spanish ancestry, that although the name is Spanish, they are of a different ethnic make-up. Was he a mercenary in the military of France? Why was he at Fort Chartres in 1723? When and how did he arrive? Did he come directly from Europe to the Illinois Territory? Or did he first come to Canada and then into the Illinois Territory? Can anyone answer these questions? Don Landry don2717@aol.com