Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestors
For researchers with French-Canadian ancestors, there is a wealth of resources available in both Canada and the United States. French-Canadian genealogy, however, is not without its quirks. Shifting boundaries, “dit” names, notarial records, and the language barrier are just some of the challenges you may face. Join genealogist Rhonda R. McClure to learn how to locate and use essential resources, analyze records, and maximize searches to discover your family’s past. This four-week online course will focus on resources pertaining to the province of Quebec; Acadian ancestors are not included in this discussion.
This course includes four 90-minute classes; exclusive access to handouts and recordings of each presentation; and in-depth q&a sessions with the instructor.
July 6
Class 1: Getting Started
In this first class, Rhonda R. McClure will discuss how to identify origins in French Canada using both U.S. and Canadian records and explore migratory patterns between the two countries.
July 13
Class 2: Church Records & Resources
Church records are a go-to resource for French-Canadian research. Luckily, many have been compiled in the Drouin collection. In this second class, Rhonda will explain how navigate this important collection and use associated indexes. She will also demonstrate how "dit" names can affect a person in the records and how to understand records in French.
July 20
Class 3: Notarial Records, Part I
Outside of parish registers, notarial records are one of the most important resources for French-Canadian genealogy and cover a wide array of records, including marriage contracts, wills, guardianships, leases, labor and land agreements, loans, and more. In this class, Rhonda will provide an in-depth look at these critical records including the process of identifying the proper notary and how to use Parchemin and other resources.
July 27
Class 4: Notarial Records, Part II
In this final class, we will work directly with the records created by notaries and demonstrate practical steps and methods for transcribing and translating these resources.
