French-Canadian Descendants

All French-Canadians are related as they are descended from about 2.500 people. They also have some of the best kept records in the world. Please feel free to post queries, events, pictures, tell stories, etc.
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  • James P. LaLone

    Denis, very nice website.
  • James P. LaLone

    Not sure how to pronounce a surname? Cool site here -

    http://www.acapela-group.com/text-to-speech-interactive-demo.html

     

  • Laurence Durand

    Hello everyone,

    I'm a newby.  I search for the Durand, Généreux, and Plante family.  Also, since my mother comes from France... I've been digging through the archives of Orne, Normandy, France.

  • James P. LaLone

    Welcome to all the new members. Hope you will share info with us - posting obits, adding to the surname listing, research sites of interest, queries, etc. Do you speak French? Do you have any family stories to share. Any F-C recipes handed down in your family? Sometimes sharing these things jogs memories for others in recording their family history.

     

    Please feel free to post genealogies of families you are interested in. You can then point family members to the link. You can also always update your genealogy easily.

     

    Thanks for your interest in this site. Jim.

  • Laurence Durand

    I don't know if you know this but Family Search put online the church records of Québec and a little more.

     

    Here's the link, hope it works.

    https://www.familysearch.org/s/image/show#uri=http%3A//pilot.family...

  • James P. LaLone

    Yes Laurence, mention has been made. Please, everyone read back comments here as some of them may be of interest. Thanks, Jim.
  • Lorraine Coulombe

    Good evening everyone,

    I am a new member and it will be very easy to detect my french accent (smile).

    I am a Acadian from New-Brunswick.

    I am not searching for anyone in particular, I just love genealogy.

    I will now read everything in here and see what I can find.

     

     

  • Daniel Joseph Teitelbaum

    Salut Lorraine, C'est bien que vous vous interessez a la genealogie! Moi, je descends de la famille Crevier, et de la famille Cazes (cote maternelle, toutes les deux) Mon nom de famille, Teitelbaum, n'est certainement ni francais ni canadien! De toute facon, me voila. bonnes recherches!

  • James P. LaLone

    I have a book published in 1861 titled: Relation de ce qui s'est passe de plus remarquable aux missions des peres de la Compagnie de Jesus en la Nouvelle France les annes 1672 et 1673, by Claude Dablon.  I was wondering if any of our French speakers would be willing to translate some of the chapters so we can post them here. It might be interesting to read about the early missionaries. Thanks, Jim.
  • Lorraine Coulombe

    Teitelbaum

    Porté en principe par des Juifs askhénazes, le nom signifie mot à mot "l'homme à la datte" ("Teytl", forme yiddish de l'allemand "Dattel" = datte). Teitel est également un nom de famille juif, tout comme Teitelbaum (= le dattier), écrit aussi Teitelbom, Teitelboim. Pour expliquer la symbolique de ces noms, on se réfère le plus souvent au verset 92:13 des Psaumes (ou 92:12 selon les versions) : "Le juste poussera (fleurira) comme un palmier, il se multipliera comme un cèdre du Liban".

  • Daniel Joseph Teitelbaum

    James, I would be happy to translate from the book you mentioned. Can you send it electronically?
  • Daniel Joseph Teitelbaum

    Merci Lorraine, c'est gentil de ta part de m'avoir affiche cela. Tres interessant!
  • Lorraine Coulombe

    Avec plaisir Daniel :)
  • Daniel Joseph Teitelbaum

    Laurence, Merci pour le lien, "familysearch". Tres utile!!
  • James P. LaLone

    The Spring 2011 issue of AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY has an article “The Story of Ft. St. Joseph” by Michael Bawaya, p.38. The 17th C. French Fort located in Niles, MI. They have a Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fort-St-Joseph-Archaeological-Pr...


    The March/April 2011 issue of MICHIGAN HISTORY has an article “Pond v. the People: Michigan Sets a Legal Precedent” by Larry Peterson.  Story of trial of Augustus Pond, husband of Mary Bodemin & son of Augustus Peter Pond & Mary Louise Boucher (Mackinac area).
  • James P. LaLone

    Another listing of ships from France:

     

    http://www.migrations.fr/departure_of_la_rochelle.htm

     

  • James P. LaLone

    The index for 2010 Michigan Habitant's Heritage has been uploaded to the FCHSM website.  You can download it from the link on the journal webpage at http://fchsm.habitant.org/Journal.html.  You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file.
  • James P. LaLone

    Welcome newcomers. Please post queries or tell us what surnames you are researching. I have checked out some of the profiles and cannot see what French-Canadian surnames that are being researched. Feel free to post them. Thanks. Jim.

     

    For all of you interested in the history of the French presence on the
    American continent, this is for you.

    Montreal will be the hosting the « Congrès 2011 sur l'Amérique française
    », on May 20-21 and 22, 2011.

    The program schedule and guest speaker's bios are available here:
    http://congres2011.tk/
  • Richard Monroe Olsen

    Hi! Researching Lavanway family . Charles and Hannah Lavanways son Stephen married Nancy Cox. Stephen was either born in New York or Canada early 1800s. 1850 living in Ellenburg, Clinton, New York.They moved to Michigan Antrim, their son Milan married to Emma Miner, had a daughter Addie, my greatgrandmother. Hoping to find out more about their lives in New York / Canada.
    Richard
  • James P. LaLone

    Richard,

    New York is difficult to do research, I finally ended up going there to find my connection.

     

    LAVANWAY is no doubt a corruption for LIVERNOIS, which is a very common dit name for BENOIT, however it is also a dit name for MELOCHE. In fact my LIVERNOIS came from northern NY (Clinton Co.) and also used the name MILLER, which was no doubt a corruption of MELOCHE.  This is probably your family as my also come from Ellenburg. Some of the church records have been published for the area so you might want to check those.

     

    There is also a genealogy society which posts queries in their publication "Lifelines" which may be useful.  I will check what I have, but did not collect that much extra on the MELOCHE-LIVERNOIS-MILLER, mainly my direct line.  Good luck.

  • William Henry Jones, Jr

    hello all does anyone here come down from Claude Robillard and Marie Grandin
  • William Henry Jones, Jr

    Hi i am looking for the surnames from Quebec, Smith,Robillard,Cote and Desrosiers-Lafreniere
  • James P. LaLone

    Richard, I looked at my LIVERNOIS material & at present do not have your family in my database, sorry, Jim.
  • James P. LaLone

    FYI Denissen's "French Families" is available on line:

     

    http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~newspaperarticles...
  • Mary Jo Perry

    I am very much a newcomer to this site.  I have family names that I have traced to L'Acadie, and Quebec.  They include Godin(which became Gordon in Wisconsin), DuPuis-DuPres, Moquin, Breau-Brault-Brau-Breaux, Marcoux, Clouatre, Boudreau, Barrieau-Bariot, Comeau, Caron.  I have received some translated records from Les Amis de Grand Pre'
  • William Henry Jones, Jr

    Happy Easter to all have a great day.....
  • Richard Monroe Olsen

    James, Thanks for looking!
  • James P. LaLone

    As a break, if you like mysteries, then these will surely interest you. However you need to start with the first one as the series builds on the previous story. It's main character is Inspector Gamache in Quebec and if you are in the least bit a Francophone the mystery as well as the culture and social life will fascinate you.  Here are a couple of reviews on the newest book in the series, enjoy, Jim.

     

  • James P. LaLone

    Videos of Quebec & Acadian history:

    http://www.afgs.org/acadia/AHS-Acadian_Videos.html

     

     

  • Richard Norwood

    I have posted my name before.  My French Canadian ancestors were the family SINNETT (SINNOTT, SENNET, ZENETTE are some other spellings).  Our earliest known progenitor was a Francis Sinnett who was in Clarendon Parish, Charlotte Co., NB, by the 1871 census, but had been in New Brunswick as early as 1825.  In the 1871 census, the family, father and sons, reported their racial origin as French, but at first the census-taker had written Canadian, then crossed it out and entered French.  They were Church of England at that time.  Francis reported that he was born in Canada, but his sons reported that they were born in New Brunswick.  In the 1871 census, Francis reported that he was 70 years old, which would place his birth in 1801; however, he died in 1879 in Millville, York Co., NB, where his daughter (my 2nd great grandmother) was living with her family, and his gravestone inscription says that he was 96 years old when he died!  This discrepancy between his reported age on the census and that on his gravestone makes it very hard to trace him backwards. I did find a Francois Senet, born in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, in 1801, who would fit the man of the census, but I don't dare say that they are one and the same.  When the census for New Brunswick in 1871 says that someone was born in Canada, does could that be Quebec or Ontario?  Does anyone with fresh eyes have any ideas about how I could do more with this family line?   Thank you, Dick.

  • James P. LaLone

    From Eastman's online newsletter:


     


    New Version of the Lower Canada Land Petitions (1626-1865) Database Now Available




    The following announcement was written by Library and Archives Canada:


    Ottawa, June 8, 2011 - Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database Lower Canada Land Petitions (1626-1865). This version includes digitized images of the actual petitions for all individuals listed in the database. Corrections to entries, including suggestions received from users, have also been integrated into this updated version. Many staff members contributed to the success of this project, and their efforts are much appreciated.

    The database is available at:


    www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/lower-canada/index-e.html.

    For more information, please contact
    webservices@lac-bac.gc.ca.

  • James P. LaLone

    Archaeological dig - bringing history to life -

    http://www.canada.com/health/Canadian+built+structure+unearthed+Mis...

     

  • Sherril Edward Bilky Jr

    I am looking for my Bishop family line from around the Leeds Ontario area. I was wondering where a good place is to start when looking for former British soldiers that settled in the area after the war of 1812. I have a copy of a land grant for my Bishop but I am unable to find where he came from, there is no mention of the where's or what's. If there is anybody with helpful hints of where to look.

     

  • James P. LaLone


    The fifth World Acadian Festival scheduled for August 8-24, 2014.

    2014 Acadian Congress seeking family reunions — Maine Living — Bangor Daily News


     

    http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/19/living/2014-acadian-congress-seeking-family-reunions/

  • James P. LaLone

    Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening

     
    "Le Grand Reveil Acadien - The Great Acadian Awakening" will be taking place in St. Martinville, Louisiana for ten days, in October 2011.


    It will celebrate the Acadian history of Louisiana. Included in the celebration will be music, food and history.


    Louisiane-Acadie, Inc. is aiming to encourage all Acadians to participate in the continued expression of the native French language and culture by announcing a grand gathering of Acadians in Louisiana called the “Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening”.


    Hosted by Louisianians, the entire region of South Louisiana is opening their doors to welcome family and friends who want to celebrate and help maintain the culture, customs, traditions and history of the Acadians. This celebration will be held October 7th through 16th, 2011 in four Acadian regions.

    After engaging a group of young Louisianians to prepare and participate in promoting Louisiana for the World Acadian Congress 2009, an awakening of their heritage was visibly evident. "The Acadians of the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick helped start a renaissance and an awakening of our younger generation's pride and interest in promoting the French language and culture of their ancestors.” states President Ray Trahan.

    For More Information Contact Ray Trahan, Louisiana Acadie President
    Phone: (337) 288-2681 Email: beaufile@bellsouth.net

    In order to maintain our rich heritage, it is now time to take advantage of this renewal and to learn from the past. We should do everything we can to keep this hope alive. Acadians and friends are welcome to join us in Louisiana to celebrate this unique, living culture!

    Vive l'Acadie et vive la Louisiane!

  • James P. LaLone

  • James P. LaLone

    Festival du Voyageur celebrates the joie de vivre of the fur traders.

    http://festivalvoyageur.mb.ca/wp/about-us/
  • James P. LaLone

    Across the Border: Canadians in the Upper Peninsula

     

    On Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m., the Chassell Heritage Center will open a new exhibition, Across the Border: Canadians in the Upper Peninsula, on loan from Northern Michigan University ’s BeaumierU.P. Heritage Center, with a program featuring traditional French-Canadian songs by Maple Sugar Folk.  Light refreshments will be provided. 

     

    Across the Border focuses primarily on the immigration of Canadians to the Upper Peninsula during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  However, the story begins much farther back than that with the Anishinaabeg people who have lived on both sides of what they view as purely a political border for centuries.  The very nature of this border, which has been seen at times as irrelevant and porous, will be discussed in this exhibition as will the nature of Canadian identity as it relates to the immigration of people to the Upper Peninsula from Québec and Ontario.   

     

    One of the most interesting parts of this exhibition will be the spotlight on specific families who came from Canada to the Upper Peninsula looking at the experiences they had before and after they immigrated to the region. There will also be a focus on specific communities that had significant settlements of Canadian people. Chassell and Lake Linden are among the communities featured.

     

    Across the Border will be on display through August 30, 2011. The Chassell Heritage Center is located at 42373 North Hancock Street, Chassell (from US 41, turn west onto 2nd Street ) and is open Tuesdays 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.

     

    The exhibition was funded by Cliffs Natural Resources, NMU's College of Arts and Sciences and the Province of Québec Chicago Delegation.

  • James P. LaLone

    Received a message from Ann Freiberg Faulkner to all members of French-Canadian Descendants on Genealogy Wise!

    I am abstracting the first book of Macomb Co deeds, many of which are in french. Anyway I found the above Rene in a deed as Rener Trembler dit Caucohi or Caucoho. Can anyone identify what this dit name might be?

    Ann,
    I have not seen (or at least noticed CAUCOHI or CAUCOHO as a dit name (looks a little like COUCHOIS).
    Here is the family, anyone who wants more info let me know, thanks, Jim.


    1. Rene TREMBLAY, (son of Augustin TREMBLAY and Marie-Judith LAFOREST) baptized 29 Dec 1762 in Assumption, Sandwich, Ont., CAN,i d. bef 1821.1

    (1) Married 12 Jun 1786 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI,1 Mary Magdelene SAULQUIN, b. 1763,1 (daughter of Joseph-Amable SAULQUIN and Catherine LAUZON) buried 29 Aug 1788 in Assumption, Sandwich, Ont., CAN.1


    (2) Married 15 Jan 1805 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI,1,ii Ceilia BLAY, also known as BLAIS, b. 22 Nov 1786 in Assumption, Sandwich, Ont., CAN,1 (daughter of Francis BLAY and Madeleine LACAILLE) buried 26 Sep 1866 in Mt. Clemens, Macomb Co., MI.1

    Ceilia: See CITY OF DETROIT (Burton), v.2, p. 1400.

    Children:
    2. i. Peter b. 29 Nov 1805 Clinton River, MI.iii. Married 4 Oct 1824 in Clinton River, MI,4 Margaret LAFORGE, b.
    1809 in Clinton River, MI,4 (daughter of Louis-Samson-David PRADET-LAFORGE and Margaret CAMPAU).
    3. ii. Medard b. 21 Feb 1808 1808 in Clinton River, MI,4 baptized 17 Apr 1808 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI,4 d. bef
    1853.4. Married 9 Sep 1828 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI,4,iv,v Felicity BOURGUIGNON, b. 28 May 1813 in
    Assumption, Sandwich, Ont., CAN,4 (daughter of Louis DIDIER-BOURGUIGNON and Theotiste PARE)
    buried 24 Sep 1861 from St. Anne's, Detroit, Wayne Co., MI.4
    Felicity: She 2m. to Charles BRUNET.
    4. iii. Jean-Baptiste b. 1810. Married 1 Oct 1832 in Clinton River, MI,4 Scholastique LAFORGE, b. 2 Aug 1818,4
    (daughter of Louis LAFORGE and Teresa TROMBLEY) baptized 7 Jun 1822 in St Francois, Clinton River, MI,4
    buried 7 Aug 1857 in Anchorville, MI.4
    iv. Victoria TREMBLAY, b. 7 Jul 1820,vi baptized 29 Jan 1821 in St. Francis, Clinton River, MI.3
    She married Louis LAFORGE, b. 12 Feb 1809.
    5. v. Charles. He married Cecilia MOISAN, also known as MAISON,vii b. 29 Apr 1819 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI, (daughter of Nicholas MOISAN and Celilia TROMBLEY) baptized 28 Jun 1819 in Detroit, Wayne Co., MI.
  • Ann Freiberg Faulkner

    Jim - thank you.  From your work published in the Habitat on the Trombleys - I figured that if anyone knew, you would.  It also occurred to me that it might be Couchois & maybe it is meant to be as some of the spelling in these deeds is very butchered.
  • Angela Kraft

    There is a pplace in France called La Cauchie:

    http://en.db-city.com/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/Pas-de-Calais/La_Ca...

     

    Plus there is someone posting about the last name Couchois:

    http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.couchois/4/mb.ashx

     

    And Couchois seems to be a region referred to as Valley of the Couches in Burgandy France (this next site is about wine, but makes mention of the subject):

    http://www.burgundy-wines.fr/find-out-about/the-burgundy-region/vin...

     

    Lastly, Couches, France: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couches

     

     

    I have to say that DIT names really throw a wrench into things sometimes. I have a Cheval dit St. Jacques who later became St. Jacques only. A bit frustrating if you aren't able to make the connection from the place name to the surname. But beneficial for area research, at least!  Good luck!

  • James P. LaLone

  • Guy Lafontaine

    Ancestors from 17th century France, briefly in New France then, to now Michigan and then one? to Ontario 20th century.  Interested in Montreal early part of the 18th century.
  • marlene koschalk

    I am still trying to find out more information on my late mother-in-laws parents,birth certificates,death certificates, for Erdras Thiffault and Exilena Chounard,also a birth certificate for Eve-Ann Thiffault. They lived in Greenville,New Hampshire,  after Erdas died Exillena married a man by the name of Duval,do not know his first name,am looking for any of his ancestors, he had a son name unknown

     am trying to solve the mystery.

    Marlene

     

  • James P. LaLone

    Listing of place of origin of FC ancestors -

    http://home.gwi.net/~frenchgen/orig-bl.htm

     

  • Patricia Quinn

    Marlene - my gr-grandfather's 3rd wife was Marie Chouinard.  She was out of Quebec, but not sure where.  She married Charles Maltais in about 1919 in Laconia, Belknap, New Hampshire.  Apparently there were quite a few CHOUINARD in that area - maybe yours were connected?

    Pat

  • James P. LaLone

  • Elaine A. Falt

    I have been able to complete my French Canadian genealogy by using the magnficent Drouin records. I have one ancestor who is still a bit of a mystery. He is Francois Lajoy (Lajoie) he appears in 1747 on L'Isle Aux Coudres,Quebec. It is his marriage to Brigitte Desbiens. In the Drouin record of this marriage there is no mention of parents. Soo that is a dead end for me - I have searched other Lajoie lines but they do not match. I would appreciate any help with this! thank you Elaine Falt

     

  • Terri Mercier

    We are researching our MERCIER French-Canadian ancestors. The Drouin records are a huge help.  Through a recent conference in Montreal, I had the opportunity to visit the BANQ in Montreal.  Looking forward to a return visit.
  • James P. LaLone

    Elaine, I would try and see if there is a marriage contract. Also check the baptismal records of the children and see if any of the sponsors are mentioned as relatives. Jim.