It's all about Genealogy Books.» French Canadian

Jette

Debby — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:00:18 +0000

When researching in Quebec for the period 1621 to 1730, Dictionnaire genealogique des familles du Quebec by Rene Jette is one of those books you need to check out. The details for the families are sorted by last name and marriage dates. Listings may include Parents, parishes for vital records, children (born 1730 or earlier) and spouses of children.

Dit names are listed which helps when researching other sources. Some of the resources used to compile this book are parish records, census records, and notarial records.

As with all research, it is important to check the sources. Please use the lists at the front of the book when determining the full name of the parish abbreviations (some are not clear).

10 Provinces and 3 Territories

Debby — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:00:17 +0000

With only 10 Provinces and 3 Territories, you would think it would be easy to find a Canadian ancestor. Add to that French language, massive water ways, and a border easy to cross, Canadian ancestors can be tricky to follow.

Research methodology is the same regardless of where you research, the trick is knowing where to look and what idiosyncrasies appear in each area based on government system, religious affiliations, and events of the time.

Sherry Irvine and Dave Obee cover record groups, location issues, and much more in their Finding Your Canadian Ancestors. With internet sites changing daily, I love the fact that there is plenty of white space on the web site pages for hand written updates. The extensive lists of research locations makes for a great reference book, when you run out of ideas of where to look, in Canada’s 10 Provinces and 3 Territories.

French Canadian Genealogy

Debby — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:51 +0000

Anyone researching French Canadians would definitely benefit from French-Canadian Sources, A Guide for Genealogists published by Ancestry.

Every country has quirks when doing genealogical research, and French Canadian research is no different. Yes, knowing the language does help, but that is only part of the equation. French-Canadian Sources explains naming patterns, historical timelines, and Feudalism and Seigneruial System.

Excellent records are maintained by the French Canadians with many going beyond the basic name, dates, and places. Primary and Secondary Sources are discussed in detail which helped direct me in where to look for what.