Ile aux Réaux (Ile des Ruaux) is one of the oldest concessions recorded in Québecois history. On March 20, 1638, la Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France (The Company of New France) ceded the island to les Reverends Pères de la Compagnie de Jesus (The Reverend Fathers of the Company of Jesus). In January of 1675, half of the island was ceded to resident Pierre Rondeau, half to neighbor Charles Thibault. The first recorded sale of the island was in 1708, from the Reverend Fathers to Charles Campagne. And it has been in private hands ever since.

"Réaux" is an old French family name. In Napoleon's time, one of the Réaux won the Ile de France (Paris) in a gaming wager. In 1813 the name was given to a perforated coin used in what is now Prince Edward Island.