1. Origin of the name Madou
There are several interpretations about the origin of the name Madou. Some are quite colorful and I like those the best.  1. In the Dutch Family Name Book from Frans De Brabandere we learn that  the names Madou (x), Madoe, Madoets, Madoue, Maudoux stem from " Madoul " which in turn is from the Germanic  word "MATHALA /WULFA" meaning something like “ a gathering place for wolves.” My score: 2 2. In the French Family Name Book  from  A. Carnoy  we find that  Madou stems from " MAHT " which means  'pouvoir'  or from  " MATHU “ meaning 'bon'. Leave it to the French to make things complicated! My score: 1 3. In another interpretation, Madou has a Moorish origin. The name came via Spain to Belgium with the Moorish empire there (see Figure 1).   There might also be a connection with the word Flamenco (Flemish) – more about this later. Interestingly the name Madou and many variations on it can be found in Africa especially with Muslim populations. Also in America there were already Madous in 1640. Most likely they did not come from Belgium but perhaps from seafaring nations such as Spain or Portugal. My score: 2  (Figure 1. Moorish Spain)  4. Matteo Ricci (Li Madou, 1552-1610) was an Italian Jesuit who started his mission to China 400 years ago  and is still respected there as ``Li Madou,'' or ``the sage of the West.” My score: 05. In Sanskrit the word Madhu means sweet as honey. It is used in India as a first name.  My score: 0.6.  African names. Given the Moorish connection this is quite a possibility.Mohammed , Mammadou, Madou, Ahmadou, etc. My score:2.With thanks to Dominique Madou-Van Clapdurp Tel 00.32.32.529337 . F. De Deckerstr. 11 - B.2070 Zwijndrecht .

2. Spelling of the Name Madou
Madou, Maddou , Madoul , Madoux , Mado , Medo , Madoe , Maddoe , Madot , Madouts Madoel , Madoet ,  Mego ,  Medow , Maddeus , Madouw , Madoo and Madoù

3. Some theories about the spread of the Madou name in Belgium and over the world
-Belgium: Although the name Madou sounds French, it is most likely not French. I am trying to confirm that the Madou family came from Spain with the Spanish armies (Spanish Hapsburg Kingdom-1555-1713). Most of the Madou families live in the Flemish part of the country as can be seen from the list below (1987 data) and the map on the left (1996 data). Especially around Antwerp there is a heavy concentration of Madous. In the 16th century Antwerp and it’s port on the river (the Schelde) became the center of economic activity.in the North of Europe, with tremendous consequences for the rest of Europe ‘s religious history. Perhaps the Madous remained in Antwerp which was the big frontier town in the war.  Distribution of the name Madou in Belgium in 1996. From GeoNome.Belgian Madou Families  31.12.1987 - Results27 MADOU Antwerpen (Anvers) [ arr. Antwerpen (Anvers) P. Antwerpen ]8 MADOU Brasschaat [ arr. Antwerpen (Anvers) P. Antwerpen ]19 MADOU Brugge (Bruges) [ arr. Brugge (Bruges) P. West-Vl. ]6 MADOU Zedelgem [ arr. Brugge (Bruges) P. West-Vl. ]12 MADOU Knokke-Heist [ arr. Brugge (Bruges) P. West-Vl. ]9 MADOU Langemark-Poelkapelle [ arr. Ieper (Ypres) P. West-Vl. ]8 MADOU Izegem [ arr. Roeselare (Roulers) P. West-Vl. ]8 MADOU Ledegem [ arr. Roeselare (Roulers) P. West-Vl. ]5 MADOU Roeselare (Roulers) [ arr. Roeselare (Roulers) P. West-Vl. ]6 MADOU Meulebeke [ arr. Tielt P. West-Vl. ]10 MADOU Pittem [ arr. Tielt P. West-Vl. ]7 MADOU Tielt [ arr. Tielt P. West-Vl. ]7 MADOU Ardooie [ arr. Tielt P. West-Vl. ]6 MADOU Koksijde [ arr. Veurne (Furnes) P. West-Vl. ]6 MADOU Nieuwpoort (Nieuport) [ arr. Veurne (Furnes) P. West-Vl. ]8 MADOU Veurne (Furnes) [ arr. Veurne (Furnes) P. West-Vl. ]7 MADOU Maldegem [ arr. Eeklo P. Oost-Vl. ]17 MADOU Gent (Gand) [ arr. Gent (Gand) P. Oost-Vl. ]5 MADOU Knesselare [ arr. Gent (Gand) P. Oost-Vl. ]5 MADOU Nevele [ arr. Gent (Gand) P. Oost-Vl. ]31 MADOU Zomergem [ arr. Gent (Gand) P. Oost-Vl. ]12 MADOU Moeskroen ** Mouscron [ arr. Mouscron (Moeskroen) P. Hainaut ]Note: For the web searches I used only Madou. In a more detailed search one should use the Soundex for Madou which is M300. -The World:  Although we have some indication that the name Madou came to Belgium with the Spanish armies in the 16 th Century, the name probably became Madou only in Belgium as there are no Madou’s now in Spain. Besides Spain there are a lot of Madou’s in Africa especially on the Ivory Coast (Moorish connection?). In the Dadi tribe Madou means warrior and Mamadou is a typical African Muslim name. There is perhaps also a link to Flamenco music here. 

4. My family's genealogy from the 16th Century to today

1.Generation : Ramses Madou ( b 1980) and Maura Madou .  Picture of Ramses and Maura Madou.

2. Generation :  Marc Madou (siblings) ( b 1953) and Marleen DeCokere (parents and siblings)

3. Generation : Omer Madou (b 1910-d 1995) and Rachel Van Daele . My mothers siblings and parents. My father's siblings.

                                                                20 th Century

4. Generation : Gustaaf-Cyriel Madou  ( b 1885)-Maria Cordeny.

5. Generation : Marie-Therese Madou  ( b 1857) and ? - Marie-Therese Madou and Hendricus de Jonghe (The scoop on Marie-Therese Madou)

6. Generation : Leandre Madou ( b 1812) -Amelia De Wulf and Blondine van Overbeke

                                                                 19 th Century

7. Generation : Antonius Madou ( b 1777) -Veronica Bousson

8. Generation : Joannes Augustinus Madou  ( b 1739) - Barbara-Theresia De Neckere

9. Generation : Petrus Madou ( b 1706) - Godelieve Joan De Meulenaere

                                                                18th Century

10. Generation : Judocus Madou ( b 1680) - Maria De Witte

11. Generation : Hieronymus Madou ( b 1653) - Florence Vankeirsbilck

12. Generation: Hieronymus Madou ( b 1626) - Joanne Van Huysse

                                                                17th Century

13. Generation : Maximiliaan Madou (b 1590)- Antonia Dugardyn

14. Generation : Adrianus Maddou (b 1560) - Unknown

                                                                16 th Century

To put this in perspective this overlaps with the following periods in Belgium's history.

• Late Middle Ages (1300 - 1500)
• The United Netherlands (Holland + Flanders)  under the Habsburg Kings  (1482 - 1585) .Hapsburg.
• The South Netherlands ( Flanders) under Spain (1585 - 1715) .Hapsburg.
• The Austrian Netherlands (1715 - 1794). Hapsburg. To learn more about Belgium  under the house of Hapsburg between 1482 and 1794 click Charles V  . 
• The French Period  (1794 - 1815)
• The United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1830)
• Independent Belgium (vanaf 1830)
  

 

5. Famous Madou's ??

- Jean Baptist Madou was born in Brussels on 26-01-1796, the eldest son of Jean Baptist Mathias Madou and Anne Marie Van Der Gucht ( 5 children ), and died there on 03-04-1877.  He was married to Melanie Lannuyer. He had  5 children; Adolphe , Marie-Cecile , Laure-Henriette , Marie-Hélène en Jeanne.  He was a pupil of Joseph François at the Académie in Brussels. Between 1814 and 1818 he was a clerk in the Ministry of Finance and until 1820 a topographical draughtsman in the Ministry of War. His work was then noticed by the publisher Jobard, who employed him as a lithographer of (largely unsigned) maps, book illustrations, vignettes and portraits. Madou also had a collaboration with Joseph Plateau:

Phenakistiscope discs from the Museum for the History of Sciences of the University of Ghent

 Around 1830 he began to publish in Brussels and Paris portraits and series of lithographs, for example the Outskirts of Brussels (1831), which first drew attention to his name. Madou’s reputation was confirmed with the publication of The Physiognomy of Society in Europe from 1400 to the Present Day (1836), lithographs after his own watercolours. In the subsequent Life of the Painters of the Flemish and Dutch School (1842), Madou showed the taste for historical reconstruction that is also to be seen in the paintings he then began to produce, most of which were genre scenes set in the 18th century. These often show taverns, as in The Spoilsport (1854), or colorful, characterful crowds, as in Village Politicians (1871; both Brussels, Mus. A. Mod.). Madou brought a strong sense of humor to his evocation of the past in these pictures, while also showing his technical skill in the detail and finish of their treatment. In 1850 he became painter to the royal court. He painted all the murals in the royal castle at Ciergnon ( 1874 ) . My score: 1.

- Charles Madoux , born in Brussels on 10-08-1874. He was mayor of Auderghem and died there on 27-07-1929. He was linked to many blue bloods at the time (notice the “de”); de Gomreé de Moralmé, Coppens d'Eeckenbrugge , de Haan d'Omer , de Planet , de Launoy en Goyens de Heusch .  My score: 1.

- A.Madou has a very nice bronze statue of a shrimp fisherman on a horse  in  the "Scheepvaart Museum" of the " Steen" in Antwerp.  It is a gift from the friends of the  " Nationaal Scheepvaart Museum"  . My score: ?.

- Jean Baptist Madou was born in 1667 in Doornik. He was "heer" of Crosbecque and Cubernoit. In 1722 Kaiser Charles VI made him a nobleman and he received 4 "adellijke kwartieren ." He was also granted the right to add to his name a noble particle. He lost this title by a decree in 1734.  My score: ?.

- Frans Madou  wrote a book about Victor Hugo .My score: ?.

- In 1826 Antoine Madou wrote a book about David , the famous French painter.  My score:?.

- Marguerita Madoux , was tot onlangs directrice van de Belgische Liga tegen de tuberculose .

- Pol Madou  was the founder of Usines Pol Madou ( U.M.P.)  in  Zelzate, a manufacturer of bituminous felt and similar waterproof coverings used in the building industry, principally for roofing work. My score: 3.

- Charles O.A. Madou  was a chemist and CEO of the bituminous felt  company  U.M.P. in Ghent , he was also consul Consul to Sweden and on the board of many other companies.  My score:3.

- Mireille Madou was born in Brugges in 1931. She is professor of art history at the University of Leiden ( NL ) . She wrote several books about clothing throughout history as` well as about the life of saint Gertrudis de Nivelles and the pilgrimages to  Santiago De Compastella in the North of Spain. My score: ?.

- Luc Madou is a well known ballooner in Belgium. He got   Filip Lammertijn and Ann Van Hulle married high up in the clouds ( 1996 ). The bishop from Ghent nullified the marriage.  My score: ?.

- In Marseille lives a certain " Professeur  Madou. " He claims to be  a great Marabout ( a magician) .  He is from Africa and his specialties are; chances pour la vie , forces sexuelles et dé’’senvoû’’tements .  He lives in  Rue Danton n°’(’( 12 in Marseille - 13003 -Tel 91.62.50.92.My score:

- Jeanne Madou , was the name of a prostitute in the movie " Arch of Triumph ."  Jeanne was played by Ingrid Bergman .

- Madou , was the name of the son of a black monarch in the book "Jack" by   Alphonse Daudet. My score:0.

- "Marcel Kiekeboe" the famous cartoon hero sculpted by my brother Luc stands in Middelkerke on the  beach walk.  Luc Madou is a painter sculptor with his own gallery (De Kleigroeve) in Egem/Pittem Belgium. My score: 3 (he is my oldest brother).

- Madou was the name of a folk rock band  briefly popular in Belgium.   In the eighties, two of the ex-members of the flemish band Rum formed a band called Madou, the band played a rock oriented folk music and enjoyed a short while of success with the single "Witte nachten". My score: 0.

 And last but not least there is Madou Madness :

4 oz. Passion Fruit
1 dash Cranberry Juice
1 dash Lemon Juice
Club Soda

Combine juices in a highball glass filled with ice. Top with club soda, stir. Add a cherry and a long straw. My score: 0.

 

Kiekeboe by Luc Madou (my artist brother)

With thanks to Dominique Madou-Van Clapdurp Tel 00.32.32.529337 . F. De Deckerstr. 11 - B.2070 Zwijndrecht .