de la Valette Parisot

As with many Old English personal names such as "Alfgar" composed of the disparate elements "aelf", elf and "gari", spear, double-barrelled names, (usually created following a marriage between two families), have no overall meaning, but the separate elements have their own meaning and derivation. In this instance, "de la Valette" is a French locational name, probably deriving from la Valette-du-Var, Provence, or from some other minor place called la Valette. On March 4th 1578, Anne Vallette was christened in Annonay, Ardeche, and on May 5th 1670, Gabriel Valette and Renee Piller were married in Chenille-Change, Maine-et-Loire. The name Parisot, a diminutive of Paris, Patrice or Patris from the Latin "Patricius", is particularly associated with the Meurthe-et-Moselle department of Lorraine. On November 11th 1580, Marie, daughter of Claudin Parisot, was christened in Badonviller, Meurthe-et-Moselle. A Coat of Arms granted to the Parisot family of Bernecourt, Lorraine, is recorded heraldically in Rietstaps "Armorial General", and is a silver shield divided quarterly with a black eagle displayed in the first and fourth and a black band between three acorns in the second and third. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jean Vallette, (christening), which was dated June 12th 1558, Annonay, Ardeche, France, during the reign of King Henry 11, "House of Valois", 1547 - 1559. 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.