Eouzan

This very interesting surname is of French origins and is almost entirely recorded in the Department known as 'Cotes-de-Nord' in the region of Brittany. It has a most unusual origin being a local dialectal spelling originally of the personal baptismal name Ozanne, although strictly speaking Eouzan is a development of the diminutive Ozanon. This translates as 'Little Ozanne' or probably 'Son of Ozanne'. Ozanne itself is a female name and is believed to derive from L'hosanna, and as such is associated with the ancient feast of St Rameux, originally celebrated in the 12th century, or earlier. As a result of the French Revolution of 1789, which was not only against the ruling classes, but against the church as well, many registers were wantonly destroyed, and in some areas, of which this is one, few records exist before the late 18th century. However from about 1790 onwards the records are excellent, and we are able to quote several examples. In addition the name was originally recorded in one area only, near St Brieuc, at the villages of Pordic and Etables sur Mer. The recordings include Julienne Louise Eouzan who married Olivier Francois Moro, at Pordic, on December 8th 1813 in the last year of Napoleon Bonaparte, (1800 - 1814) and Jean Marie Eouzan, who married Ann Marie Querembrun, at Etables, on Christmas Eve, 1818 in the reign of King Louis XV111 (1814-1824). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Francois Marie Eouzan, which was dated January 4th 1784, married Marie Bocqu at Pordic, Cotes-de-Nord, during the reign of King Louis XV1 of France, 1774 - 1792. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.