Bonnett...French?

[richarde1979]

The name does appear in the records of the French speaking protestant refugees settled in Cambridgeshire, albeit quite far removed from the dates you are currently looking at.

A Jan Bonet/Bonnet, the elder, widow, a refugee from Valenciennes, married Peronne Le Leu, also a widow, at the church in Canterbury 23rd June 1594. Jan had already had a daughter, Sarah, with his first wife baptised there in January 1592.  Peronne was later buried there in 1646.

There was also a Jacques Bonnet, son of Nicholas, likewise a refugee, in his case from Tournai, married at the church in 1600 to a Susanne Thevelin, daughter of Louis Thevelin.

Both families fled from areas then in the control of the Spanish empire and were Walloons rather than Huguenots from France.

[ThomasBonnett]

Thanks for that info Richarde! It's good to know there was people here with the same surname albeit with 1 less T at the end. You said 'Settled in Cambridgeshire' out of curiosity do you know roughly where in Cambridgeshire or in this area?

[joboy]

In case you have not followed up on GOONS here is a person who is studying BONNETT and variations;
No:   5916
Name:   Ms Carolyn Dyess Bales
Email:   dyess [-- at --] one-name.org
Studying:   Bonnette
with variants Bonet, Bonett, Bonnet, Bonnett
Joe

Moderator Comment: e-mail edited, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please replace [-- at --] with @

[richarde1979]

I wouldn't worry too much about the spelling, as it was fluid then, and liable to change over time. It would probably have been spelt however the clerk recording the marriage thought it should be on that particular day.

For example there are also Walloons in London's refugee community at this time with the same surname, recorded in the French churches as Bonet/Bonnet, but at least one of them is recorded as Bonnett when he marries in the local anglican church, St Dunstan's, Stepney (Elias Bonnett, a Spitalfields weaver, who married a Maudlin Sandam there 14th May 1627)

Actually I apologise it is my mistake, the earlier two family's were in Kent of course not Cambridgeshire, (the Walloons established their church in Canterbury in the crypt of the Cathedral there in 1547, and its congregation, of just under a thousand in the early decades of the 1600's, were generally settled in the weavers houses there.)

There was a  Walloon community in Cambridgeshire though, they had a church established at Thorney in the early 17th century, where they helped drain the fens. Since the name is present in London and Canterbury, it is certainly possible it was present in Cambridgeshire too.

I think you're right to be cautious the surname does seem to have existed here before Walloons and Huguenots, but I hope this information at least shows your family tale could be true.

[Dundee]

I think this would be your family:

https://familysearch.org/search

John BONNET
Christening: 6 January 1833, St. Marys, Ely, Cambridge, England

William BONNET
Christening: 6 January 1833, St. Marys, Ely, Cambridge, England

Robert BONNET
Christening: 1 November 1835, St. Marys, Ely, Cambridge, England

Ann BONNET
Christening: 8 April 1838, St Marys, Ely, Cambridge, England

All the above with parents John and Catherine.

1841
Well Horn?
Emneth, Norfolk
Class: HO107; Piece: 770 Folio: 12; Page: 17

John BONNETT/BENNETT, 30, Ag. Lab., not born in County
Catherine, 30, born in County
John, 9, born in County
William, 7, born in County
Robert, 5, not born in County
Mary, 4, not born in County

Despite the names and ages, is this them in 1851?

1851
Newnham Street
Holy Trinity, Ely
Class: HO107; Piece: 1764; Folio: 313; Page: 29

Charlett BONNETT/BENNETT, Head, 55, M(arried)?, born Terington, Norfolk
Ann, dau., 8, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
John, 21, Ag. Lab, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
Robert, 10, Ag. Lab, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
William, 4, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
Allice HOWELL or HEWELL, Lodger, W(idowed), 65, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
All children unmarried

1861 Census for Holy Trinity, Ely is missing 

1871
Newnham Street
Holy Trinity, Ely

Catherine BONNETT, Head, Mar, 62, born Terrington, Lincolnshire
Robert, Son, Unm., 27, Labourer, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ann CROSS(?), Dau, W, 25, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
James BONNETT, Grandson, 7, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
Walter CROSS, Grandson, 3, born Ely, Cambridgeshire
Elizabeth CROSS, Grandau, 10 months, born Ely, Cambridgeshire

Catherine says she is 'married' but John has been missing since 1841-1851.  Hmm, I think he may have gone on an all expenses paid cruise 

John BONNETT
Age:    39
Tried: 6 Jan 1847
Isle of Ely Sessions, Cambridgeshire, England
Sheep Stealing
Sentence: 10 years Transportation

Debra 

[ThomasBonnett]

Hi Debra

Yes the First Lot with John Bonnet and whose parents are John and Catherine are my family...John christened 1833 is my 4th Grt Grandfather and his father John is my 5th, I have that lot written down from a 'Parish of St Marys Ely' CD. The one when they are in Emneth looks to be them and Emneth is right on the border of North Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
When it says 'Born in County' 'Not born in County' Would that mean Norfolk? Because then it is showing John as born in Norfolk even though christened in Ely, Cambridgeshire?

As for 1851 The names of Siblings are correct but I haven't really looked at the 1851 census yet.

As for 1871 I haven't done the whole family, I've just gone father-Son-Father-Son. In 1871 John Bonnett (Born 1833) was living in Earith, Cambridgeshire with His Wife Sarah Ann and 4 Children (One of them Being my 3rd Grt Grandfather 'Phillip Bonnett' Born about 1869 in Earith)

As for John's Father being Transported that is True! My Grandfather was told by his father that somewhere down the line one of his past Grandfathers had been imprisoned/Caught for Stealing animals to feed the family! So I'm very grateful that you have found the record of this...So I know that tale is now True!

Im now just trying to Find Where John's father was Born, Where he married Catherine and Where He came from! Alot of work ahead of me aha...Thank you so much for all the help so far!

Thomas Ranieul Bonnett

[Barnbarroch]

A Lewis/Louis Bonnet was living in London where he married "Mariana Bureau" in 1698 and had issue John Lewis Bonnett among others. I'm trying to trace him as he was the cousin of my 8G grandmother Anne who m James Margetson, Archbishop of Armagh.