Welcome to

The Chenault Family National Association

OUR MISSION:  The Chenault Family National Association exists to perpetuate the legacy of Estienne Cheneau, a French Huguenot, who arrived in America aboard the Nassau in March 1700/01 (old English calendar), where he appeared on the ship's manifest with his wife.  Subsequently, he appeared in public records as Stephen Chenault.

OUR MEMBERSHIP:  The association is made up of descendants and their spouses and includes those who spell their names Chenault, Chennault, Chernault, Chinault, Shinault, Shinaut, Shinall, and over 40 other variations of the name (see below).  All who believe they may be descendants of the original immigrant are welcome to join us, and we shall attempt to help them trace their ancestral line to determine if they are descended from the immigrant, Estienne Cheneau.  Presently, several hundred descendants are on the association's mailing list, but more than 30,000 individuals, both descendants and spouses, are documented in the book entitled Descendants of Stephen Chenault (Estienne Cheneau), 2008 edition.

OUR ORGANIZATION:  The association was formed as an outgrowth of the annual national reunions which began in 1950 and have occurred every year since.  Although an informal association existed in the years before 1994, it was in that year that the association was officially created and bylaws adopted.  An annual business meeting of the association is conducted as part of the national reunion.  Minutes of the meeting from the last reunion appear on this site.  During the course of the business meeting the members are updated on the activities of the various committees, sites are selected for future reunions, modifications to bylaws are considered, and officers for the coming year are elected.

VARIANT SPELLINGS OF FAMILY NAME

Variant surname spellings were provided by "Cousin" Lewis R. Breckenridge in 1996 and updated by "Cousin" Christopher Shinall in 1998.  Others have been added since that time and will continue to be added as they are identified.