Quebec Genealogy Pointers

  • Quebec Genealogy Pointers,  Quebec History

    Using Cyprien Tanguay’s texts…

    Over the past few weeks, I have received numerous requests for guidance on how to use Tanguay’s texts for genealogy research (and where to get them).  I have to admit that it does seem a bit odd to me that these genealogy texts are not well understood.  But after having received the requests, I did some searching on the web only to note that there are no real guides readily available for novices, so here’s my feeble attempt at creating one. By way of a bit of background, the texts discussed here are called: Dictionnaire généalogique des Familles Canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu’à nos jours (Genealogical Dictionary…

  • Public Speaking,  Quebec Genealogy Pointers

    Quebec Genealogical Tutorial

    I will be presenting a tutorial on conducting Quebec- Francophone Genealogy Research, September 10, 2011 at the: Parker Colorado Genealogical Society Stroh Ranch Fire Station 19310 Stroh Ranch Road Parker, Colorado 10 September 2011 Business Meeting: 1:30pm – 2pm Speaker: 2pm – 3:30pm I have created the following materials for use in the session for both: advance preparation (awareness) –as well as– for the session itself. The materials will form the basis of our discussion and an advanced reading will ensure that we can have a more in-depth set of discussions and mentoring activities. I know that it is unusual to assign homework for a session but hopefully folks will…

  • Lower (Bas) Canada Map
    Public Speaking,  Quebec Genealogy Pointers

    Quebec Historical Documents & Newspapers- Quebec Research Tip #3

    Here are lists of Quebec-related Online Historical Documents and Newspapers I have come across while performing data gathering searches. Please let me know of others as you stumble upon them, so I may add them to the list here. Getting Started with Quebec Research (from FamilySearch) Links to articles on getting started with Quebec research. Step-by-Step Quebec, Canada Research How to Locate Your Ancestor in Canada How to Recognize your Canadian Ancestor Name Variations in Canadian Indexes and Records Quebec Search Strategies Canada Online Genealogy Records Quebec Research Outline – Contains out-of-date links Mary’s Genealogy Treasures – Quebec research resources Originis – Stories of parishes, baptisms directories, marriages and burials, census, clergy biography…

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  • Public Speaking,  Quebec Genealogy Pointers

    French Canadian Source Materials- Quebec Research Tip #2

    Canada has some of the world’s best documented family history information.  This is especially true for Roman Catholic French Canadians.  They were wonderful record keepers and the materials have been excellently preserved. Over the years I have had the great good fortune of finding a number of small publishers/ booksellers who have, in their own ways, been most helpful.  I hope you find some of these links and pointers useful in your New York and Quebec research. Quintin Publications– Quintin Publications provides a wide array of professional genealogical research texts and document collections. Most of their texts focus on French Canada although they also publish materials from the British Isles…

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  • Public Speaking,  Quebec Genealogy Pointers

    French Canadian Genealogy Searches- Quebec Research Tip #1

    Finding “French Canadian” North American ‘relatives’ can be quite a challenge. My searches most often lead me to southernmost Quebec (Bas Canada, near La Prairie and Lacolle areas) as well as to Northern New York (specifically Clinton County, NY).  It seems that is the general area where most of my French-speaking forebears lived (from 1780- 1925); on occasion they manage to spill into the Quebec or Montreal areas, but that is almost always in the years before 1780.  As you might know, the area I search is rather small geographically, as well as from a population perspective. But my observation has been, even though folks did not move around very…

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  • Ancestry.com Thoughts,  German Genealogy Pointers,  Quebec Genealogy Pointers,  Search Tricks & Tips,  Technology & Tools

    Kick-starting your genealogy efforts

    I have put this little reminder checklist together to help me and others quickly examine our obvious options when we either are stuck or just getting started. This list is hardly exhaustive and if you try everything here without success you should not feel like you have to throw your hands up in despair, there are still many avenues to examine.  Hopefully though, using these tools will prove useful and productive and fun. Enjoy! Have you checked? For basic name searches try these out. Not all of these tools are genealogy focused but they are all quite robust and helpful. Google Mocavo FamilySearch Ancestry If the above hasn’t provided you…

  • Quebec Genealogy Pointers,  Quebec History

    “Dit” Names

    The use of Dit names in French Canada (Bas Canada) is both very common and confusing.  Currently, I am working with another Deyo cousin to attempt to unravel yet another Deyo mystery. This part of my family line is now being reworked for the fourth time!  I think I might be getting good at it.  Briefly here’s the mystery… It appears, now, that I might be descended from a woman we believe was named Honoree Beaulac. Her family name (surname) has the following common dit names (there may be others as well): Desmarais Lake Lefebvre Marest Beaulaque Hertel (a nice German sounding name, eh?) By the way you will also…

  • Quebec Genealogy Pointers,  Quebec History,  Tools

    Rituel du Diocèse de Quebec

    If you are performing research in Quebec, the Rituel du Diocèse de Quebec may prove useful in providing clues regarding the name or names of your ancestors. To quote the PRDH: Among Catholics, choice of first name wasn’t left to chance or parents’ imagination. On the contrary, the church liked to control the attribution of first names to ensure that on the day they were baptised, children received the name of a saint who would guide them throughout their life. In the Rituel du Diocèse de Quebec, which laid out the rules to follow for writing baptismal, marriage, and burial certificates in Quebec, Monsignor de Saint-Vallier stipulated, “The Church forbids…