Quebec Compiled Genealogies

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Most archives and genealogical societies have special collections and indexes of genealogical value. These usually must be searched in person.

Online Records[edit | edit source]

PRDH Database, index & images. ($)
Fichier Origine (Original File) Database, index & images.
Our French-Canadian ancestors, e-book.
Tanguay's Genealogical Dictionary (Dictionnaire Genealogique Des Familles Canadiennes), e-book. In French but easy to decipher. Also at Ancestry.com, index & images ($).

Major Genealogical Dictionaries and Collections[edit | edit source]

Several genealogical dictionaries have information from Catholic records, censuses, and notarial records. They often give more complete family information than the marriage indexes in Quebec Church Records. One of the most useful dictionaries for Québec is:

Tanguay, Cyprien. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes (Genealogical Dictionary of French Canadian Families). Digitized online. 7 vols. 1871–1890. Text in French. Also at BAnQ. Also at Ancestry.com. index & images ($). WorldCat

*Click here for Instructions

Gives information about a large number of families in the Province of Québec. Marriages are from the early 1600s to the 1800s. Entries may give christening and burial dates of spouses and sometimes christening, marriage, and burial dates of children. Often gives the exact place of origin in France of the immigrant ancestor. Although the text is in French, it is easy to decipher the names, dates, and places.

Additions and corrections to Tanguay are in:

Leboeuf, J.-Arthur.Complément au dictionnaire généalogique Tanguay (Supplement to Tanguay's Genealogical Dictionary). 3 vols. Montréal, Qué.: Société Généalogique Canadienne-Française, 1957–1977. (FS Library book 971 D2t supp. ser. 1 & 2; film 823824 items 1–3;) Text in French.

Jetté, René. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec (Genealogical Dictionary of Québec Families). Montréal, Qué.: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 1983. FamilySearch Library Text in French.

A massive work that attempts to list the entire Québec population before 1765. Extracts every name from church and census records. Also extracts information from some notarial and other records.

*The source for this one-volume genealogical dictionary is: Charbonneau, Hubert, and Jacques Légaré, eds. Répertoire des actes de baptême, mariage, sépulture et des recensements du Québec ancien (List of Church Records of Christening, Marriage and Burial and of Censuses of Old Québec). 47 vols. Montréal, Qué.: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 1980–1990. In French.

*An explanation of the Répertoire in English is in: Key to the Repertory. Montréal, Qué.: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 1980?. (FamilySearch Library book 971.4 K22r supp.;)

Genealogical Master Index[edit | edit source]

Elliot, Noel Montgomery. The French Canadians 1600–1900: An Alphabetized Directory of the People, Places and Vital Dates. 3 vols. Toronto, Ont.: Genealogical Research Library, 1992. (FamilySearch Library book 971 D22f; computer number 449505.) WorldCat

Includes English-speaking and French Canadians from Québec, and French Canadians from other provinces. Lists 468,000 people alphabetically. Records include surname, given names, type of event (birth, marriage, death, etc.), year, sometimes a locality, and always a source code (often including a page number). The appendix at the end of each volume gives bibliographic information about most of the sources. There is also a useful gazetteer of place names. The sources of the information include directories, land records, censuses, marriage records, and Tanguay's genealogical dictionary. Looking in the source may provide further information about the date, event, or residence.

French Canadians Outside Québec[edit | edit source]

Very early, French Canadians left the area of Québec to settle in other regions of North America. They settled in places such as Kaskaskia (Illinois), Vincennes (Indiana), and Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Some church and other records from their settlements are transcribed in:

*Faribault-Beauregard, Marthe. La Population des forts français d'Amérique au XVIIIe siècle (The Population of the French Forts in America in the 18th century). 2 vols. Montréal, Qué.: Éditions Bergeron, 1982–1984. (FamilySearch Library book 970 V29f; computer number 186890.) WorldCat Text in French.

French Canadian families also settled in the Detroit and St. Clair river valleys, now on the Michigan-Ontario border. They are listed in:

*Denissen, Christian. Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, 1701–1936. rev. ed. 2 vols. Detroit, Mich.: Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, 1987. (FamilySearch Library book 977.43 D2d 1987; computer number 452008.) WorldCat Includes index.

Family Histories[edit | edit source]

The FamilySearch Library has many Québec family histories and newsletters. The main surnames from each history are in the FamilySearch Library FamilySearch Catalog. Enter the surname in the "Surname" search field. It will show you all the histories where that name is a main surname.

Many Québec families have produced histories or newsletters with genealogical information. The histories may include biographies, photographs, and other excellent information. They usually include several generations of the family. An example is:

*Bergeron, Adrien. Le Grand arrangement des Acadiens au Québec (Acadians of Québec). 8 vols. Montréal, Qué.: Editions Elysée, 1981. (FamilySearch Library book 971.4 D3ba; computer number 115896.) Text in French. Genealogy of 280 Acadian families who came from Nova Scotia and surrounding areas to Québec after 1755.

Many Québec family histories are in:

*Mennie-de Varennes, Kathleen. Bibliographie annotée d'ouvrages généalogiques au Canada = Annotated Bibliography of Genealogical Works in Canada. Text in French and English. 6 vols. Markham, Ont.: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1986-1987. (FamilySearch Library book 971 D23v.)

Local histories often include family histories. Search the FamilySearch Catalog by the name of the county or town. Then search under the topics "History" and "Biography".

Collecting Previous Research by Others Part Two: Online Family Tree Collections[edit | edit source]

For step-by-step instructions on searching several important compiled genealogy websites, see Collecting Previous Research by Others Part Two: Online Family Tree Collections.

Digitized Books[edit | edit source]

Local histories frequently include biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers. Many histories are no longer under copyright and can be found in the following online, digitized book collections. Search with keywords "History" and "the name of your locality" (state, county, or town).

FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]

Surname or Keyword Search FamilySearch Catalog Family genealogies can be found listed by using the "Surname" search. For extremely common surnames, narrow down your search by using the surname and the location where the family lived in the "Keyword" search.