Re: Two Gonyea Families
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In reply to:
Two Gonyea Families
7/17/00
Most of the replies in this thread talk about a GONYEA family
descended from a 1600s French immigrant ancestor named
GAGNE (which can be found as GAGNIER in early France).
His descendants went to NY,Clinton-Co
where they became Americanized as GONYEA.
>> Isaac Gonya/Gonia/Gagnon, etc. (born about 1815 in "Canada")
If you are correct about the original GAGNON spelling
of the surname ... then you are NOT a descendant
of the above named GAGNE=GONYEA immigrant.
Although GAGNON & GAGNE may sound similar to the English ear,
they are 2 distinct surnames. These unrelated families are
descended from 2 different early French immigrants to Canada.
I know of no confusion between these 2 surnames in French Canada.
NICOLE