The Acadian - French Canadian Research Page

Welcome to a page that hopes to assist any of you wanting to trace your Acadian or French-Canadian heritage. As an AOL Canadian and French host, I get so many questions about how to do this research, I thought I'd create this page to help others find their way! This page is under construction, but I plan to add web links, information, research tips, book lists and other resources that I find - things that have helped me, and hopefully will help you! So let's begin!

An Alphabetical Listing of Terms in
ACADIAN or FRENCH-CANADIAN Research

ACADIANS

A courageous, industrious group of people were brought to the area called "Acadie" or Acadia - the area now known as Nova Scotia, northern Maine, and New Brunswick - in the early 1600s, with settlements finally taking hold there in 1604, initiated by Samuel de Champlain and the Sieur de Monts, on Passamaquoddy Bay, later moving to Port Royal (now known as Annapolis Royal).

Don't know if any of your surnames MIGHT be Acadian? Then, take a look at this alpha listing of many of the surnames that have been compiled from the records:
Acadian Family Names

The Acadians came from France, but have spread in modern days to areas in the Atlantic provinces, Québec, the New England states, and Louisiana (where they are known as the "Cajuns"). In 1755 they were the victims of one of history's most brutal deportations or expulsions, where families were separated, farms and churches were burned, cattle slaughtered, and the peaceful lives of these people were destroyed.
More information is available on some great web pages, so please click here to learn more:

Tom's Genealogy - Acadian Info here....
ACADIAN-CAJUN Genealogy
ACADIAN SPIRIT: Immigration History
1600-1700s - EARLY HISTORY OF THE ACADIANS
ACADIAN SPIRIT: The Acadian Expulsion

Many people created the settlement of Acadia, and some of the more famous are noted on this web page:

Historical Biographies, Nova Scotia, 1600-1700.
Historical Biographies, Nova Scotia: Louis Hébert (1575-1627).
*This one is one of my ancestors, so I singled him out here!

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CARIGNAN SOLDIERS or
Soldat Carignan

Along with the women known as the Filles du Roi, the settlement of New France and the country of Canada is greatly attributed to the soldiers that were sent by the king of France to help to defend the area from British invasion. These men, arriving in the wilderness of New France, could not bring wives or family with them - many of them were very young anyway, or poor enough that they couldn't have afforded the expense of the crossing for a wife. However, once they were in New France and the various settlements were in a state of peace and some control (certainly there were always concerns about raids by British-friendly Native peoples, or those who feared the White invasion), the King was interested in developing the fur trade, import and export businesses, and to encourage French investment AND keep people in New France to develop it all - there had to be marriages, babies, and men & women to do all of that! So, you will often find in the records that soldiers married the "filles du roi" who came expressly for the purpose of seeking their fortune in the New World, and a good husband among these soldiers. For more information about the regiments that were here, click below:
La société des filles du roi et soldats du Carignan

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DIT NAMES

Many researchers with French-Canadian ancestors are often confused or stopped in their research by the ever-present usage of what is called a "dit" name. Here is the text of a presentation that was given in the Canadian SIGs (Special Interest Groups) of AOL....and the French SIG, back in February, 1998. I hope it helps with understanding some of this, and I'll give the disclaimer that I didn't originate the information given here - I am grateful to researchers before me (like Denis Beauregard, René Jetté, Joy Reisinger, and many others) who have written about this naming pattern....I just made the information shorter and more generic for folks in the chats.

The "Dit" Names of French Canada
By GFS Judi (jmuhn), 1998
"Dit" Names - In Québec

Denis Beauregard's numerous pages of resources, information and genealogy data are well-known, respected and excellent! See what he says about the "Dit" Names:

Genealogy of Quebec: What are dit names

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Evangeline: The Story by Longfellow
A Story of Acadie

Please click here for the summary of the story, given in a talk on AOL in 1997 that I created.

Evangeline: The Story

FILLES du ROI

Many of French-Canadian ancestry can trace their lineages back to one of a group of women called the "Filles du Roi" or Daughers of the King. These women came from France to "New France" (now Québec) with a dowry from the King, Louis XIV. Most researchers of these women track those women who arrived between 1633 and 1673. The dowry from the King usually was 50 livres (if the woman married a soldier or habitant) or 100 livres to marry an officer. Thanks to researchers Joy Reisinger and Elmer Courteau, we know many of their names and marriage dates. Here are some web links to assist you:

Filles du Roi
LOUIS HÉBERT: The Filles du Roi

A society that has begun that produces a newsletter and provides information about these women has a web site. More information is there:
La société des filles du roi et soldats du Carignan

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Ok, so we have some basic terms down. Let's begin with some more helpful information then!

How do I begin to find my Acadian or French-Canadian ancestors?

Please click below to go to an outline of how you can proceed to find your ancestors.
Beg. Acadian & French Research

May your search for your ancestors give you a wealth of information, history and appreciation for those who have gone before.....Happy hunting!

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As this page is just beginning construction, check back here for updates. And let me know what you think!
gfsjudi@aol.com

If you'd like to check out my personal web page, click here and see the four pages linked there!
Judy's Home Page

Copyrighted, 1998 - Judy Muhn; last updated 15 Sep 1998.