First Generation 

1. Jehan Terriot [1]^1,2,3,4 was born about 1601 in Martaizé, Vienne (Poitou), France⁴ and died between 1671 and 1678 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.^5,6 Other names for Jehan were Jean Terriot,⁷ Jean Theriault,⁸ Jean Thériault,⁴ Jean Thériot, and⁴ Jehan Thérriot.⁹

• Biography: The original Acadian immigrant from France, born around 1601 probably in Martaize, Aulnay seignory, Loudun region, Poitou province, France. The village is near Loudun and not far from La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast of France. The entire Jehan TERRIOT family, including children, probably arrived in the New World around 1637 where their first child, a son named Claude was born. The original spelling of Theriault was Terriot.

• He appeared on the census.¨ Theriault in its modern spelling, was spelled several different ways by the ancient record-keepers and spelled differently as well by researchers. For many census-takers, spelling depended largely on pronunciation. Some of the variations known todate include:

Tareau, Tario, Téio, Terau, Terault, Tereaux, Teriau, Teriault, Teriaut, Terio, Teriot, Terrault, Terreau, Terreault, Terriau, Terriaud, Terriault, Terriaux, Terrieux, Terrio, Terriot, Terriou, Terrot, Teryo, Thario, Therall, Therault, Therialt, Theriatt, Theriau, Thériaud, Theriault, Thériault, Theriaut, Therieau, Theriet, Therioult, Theroux, Therriau, Thérriault, Therio, Theriott, Thériot, Therrio, Therriot, Theuriet, Theurillat, Thierault, Thieret, Thierie, Thieriot, Thierot, Thierrot, Thireault, Thirieau, Thiriet, Thiriez, Thirion, Thiriot, Tourault.

In the history of Acadia, the periodic census' revealed the following variations:

Census Variant
1671 PORT ROYAL TERRIAU
1678 PORT ROYAL TERRIOT
1686 PORT ROYAL, BAIE DES MINES TERRIOT
1693 PORT ROYAL, MINAS TERRIOT, TERIOT
1695 Sr D'AMOURS
1698 PORT ROYAL TERRIOT, TERIOT
1700 PORT ROYAL TERRIOT
1701 PORT ROYAL, LES MINES TERRIOT
1703 PORT ROYAL, LES MINES, COBEQUID TERRIOT
1707 PORT ROYAL, MINAS, COBEQUID TERRIOT, THERRIOT
1714 PORT ROYAL, RIV AUX CANARDS TERRIOT
1751 LES MINES TERRIOT

Contemporary genealogists Arsenault and Beauregard use 'TERRIAU' for the first two generations (Jehan and his children) and 'TERRIOT' for the third generation (Arsenault). Lanctot uses 'THÉRRIOT' for Jehan's family name perhaps based on his understanding of the spelling currently used in France. The modern variation that is currently used in France is 'THÉRIOT' and TERRIOT'.

In our JEHAN TERRIOT archive, the 'TERRIOT' form of the family name is used for the first five generations of the family for the following reasons: (1) it is a variation that is most commonly found in the census records of Acadia, (2) it is one of the forms still used today in the family's ancestral region of France, (3) it is variation identified and acknowledged by many researchers including most recently Stephen White, and (4) it more clearly shows the evolution of the name to 'THERRIOT' in the early 1700's and then to the Louisiana 'THERIOT' variation and the Canadian 'THÉRRIAULT'.

Finally, a note regarding Jehan's first name. Jehan is the medieval form of our contemporary 'Jean'. Although most researchers prefer the modern 'Jean', I think that from a historic viewpoint, using the medieval form sets the timeframe for this important person. And so, it is 'Jehan TERRIOT'. -Joseph RT Theriault

• 1671, , Port Royal , , Acadia. ⁴ "Laboureur" (plowman)

Jehan married Perrine Rau (Reau) [30] ^1,4,8,10 [MRIN: 1] on 8 May 1635 in Martaizé, Vienne (Poitou), France.⁸ Marriage status: married. Perrine was born about 1611 in , , Vienne (Poitou), France⁴ and died before 1679 in , Port Royal , , Acadia. Other names for Perrine were Perrine Bourg,⁷ Perrine Brault, and¹¹ Perrine Breau.¹¹

Children from this marriage were:

+ 2 M    i. Claude Terriot [2] ^{1,4,8,10,11,12} was born about 1637 in , Port Royal , , Acadia⁴ and was buried on 17 Sep 1725 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.⁴

+ 3 M    ii. Jehan Terriot II [5] ^4,10 was born about 1639 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.⁴

+ 4 M    iii. Bonaventure (dit Venture) Terriot [3]^8,10 was born about 1641 in , Port Royal , , Acadia,^4,8 died on 3 May 1731 in St-Charles-des-Mines, Grand-Pré, , Acadia⁸ about age 90, and was buried on 4 May 1731 in St-Charles-des-Mines, Grand-Pré, , Acadia.⁴

+ 5 F    iv. Jeanne Terriot [988] ¹⁰ was born about 1643 in , Port Royal , , Acadia,⁴ died on 7 Dec 1726 in , Port Royal , , Acadia about age 83, and was buried on 8 Dec 1726 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.⁴

+ 6 M    v. Germain Terriot [4] ¹⁰ was born about 1646 in , Port Royal , , Acadia⁴ and died before 1680 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.^4,8

+ 7 F    vi. Catherine Terriot [684] ¹⁰ was born about 1650 in , Port Royal , , Acadia,⁴ died in Jul 1713 in , Port Royal , , Acadia about age 63, and was buried on 21 Jul 1713 in , Port Royal , , Acadia.⁴

+ 8 M    vii. Pierre Terriot [6] ^8,10,13 was born about 1654 in , Port Royal , , Acadia,⁴ died on 21 Mar 1725 in , Rivière aux Canards , , Acadia about age 71, and was buried on 22 Mar 1725 in St-Charles-des-Mines, Grand-Pré, , Acadia.⁴