A history of Jersey Renoufs

Philippe had a son Jean, born about 1620, who married Elizabeth Piquet and whose son Mathieu was baptised by the Dean of Jersey, Clement Le Couteur at his home in St John in 1673. Mathieu's godparents were Jeanne Renouf the widow of Jean Bellin (?Balleine), and the Dean. The child is described as "fuible" (weak) , but it would seem the parents were of some social standing to warrant the Dean's attention.

House exchange

Jean Renouf, and his wife Elizabeth Piquet, lived at Le Puits, later called La Pompe, in St Mary and there is a stone marked IR EPQ 1680 in an outhouse built in 1910. Jean Renouf actualy exchanged this house just before he died (1719) with Jean (John) Arthur, whose family have lived there ever since. The exchange was agreed over a game of cards on board a ship, and he thus acquired Jean Arthur's house "at the crossroads" which today no longer exists. The deal would seem to have been endorsed by the inscription on a straight lintelled door IAT RLC 1720 for Jean Arthur and Rachel Le Couteur.

For some reason Matthieu Renouf moved to Franc Fief Farm, La Rue du Conet, in St Brelade on or after his marriage to Anne Falle in 1702. Their initials are engraved on a stone here together with that of his parents. This reads : MR.AF.1702, and also IR EPQ Also in this house is a fireplace lintel which reads MR 1717 AF. Another stone in the house is inscribed MAL ARN 1707,(M Alexandre, A Renouf),

Oath of Association

Other stones bearing the Renouf initials are recorded in houses in St Helier,The Old Farm, Mont au Pretre, with a stone inscribed "JRN BRN 1820." In St Martin, at Le Catillon, a stone is inscribed "TRN SGD 1883" (Thomas Renouf and Suzanne Gaudin). There were many Renouf family members in St Mary in the 1700s. In 1698 the name was the commonest in the parish with 30 signatures on the Oath of Association.

In 1687 Marie Renouf, probably of St John, married Jean Balleine of St Peter. She was the daughter of Nicolas Renouf and Susanne Arthur, and the sister of Pierre Renouf. Their son Philippe Balleine was executed for murder in 1723, and their grandchild Philip Balleine went to America, where he changed his name to Bullen. Another Marie Renouf, probably of St Peter, married a Jean Balleine in 1789. Yet another Marie Renouf married a Jean Balleine about 1710. Her husband Jean was lost at sea in 1735.

John Renouf , a son of Matthieu and Anne Falle, was born about 1705 and married Anne Robichon from Alsace, France. Their daughter Margaret, born in St Brelade, married John Orange in 1767.

Family records

• Renouf family page