French American Surnames

French surnames have deep roots in American history, from the earliest colonial settlers to 20th-century immigrants. Genealogists tracing French-American lineages face unique challenges due to language differences, evolving naming customs, and regional variations. This article offers a comprehensive approach to researching French-American surnames, with tips on understanding French naming conventions, how names changed after immigration, region-specific insights, and a wealth of research resources. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate researcher, these strategies will help you unravel the story behind your French-origin family names.

Understanding French Naming Conventions in Genealogy

Researching French ancestors starts with understanding how names were constructed and used in French-speaking communities. French naming conventions can include additional alias surnames (“dit” names), compound or multi-part surnames, and names derived from parents’ given names. It’s also common to encounter variant spellings. Grasping these patterns will help you recognize your ancestor’s name in historical records even when it appears in unfamiliar forms.

“Dit” Names and Alias Surnames

One distinctive French-Canadian custom is the “dit name” – an alias added to a family’s surname. In New France (Québec and surrounding areas), settlers often adopted second surnames, usually introduced by the word dit (meaning “called”), to distinguish different branches of families with common surnames. For example, a man named Jean-Baptiste Miville might be recorded as “Miville dit Deschênes,” with Deschênes being a nickname describing a personal trait or origin. These nicknames could refer to physical or moral qualities, occupations, places of origin, or even an ancestor’s first name.

Early records (17th–18th centuries) often show both the original surname and the dit name together. Until about the 1850s, it was common to see both names used in tandem, after which families typically dropped one or the other and used a single surname going forward. A dit name might eventually replace the original surname entirely for some descendants. Genealogists should be aware that an ancestor could be listed under either name (or both) in different records. For instance, one branch of a family might use the original surname in the U.S., while another branch (or earlier records) used the dit alias. Always search for both the primary surname and any known dit names when researching French-Canadian lines.

Research Tip: Consult reference works or databases that index dit names. Genealogical dictionaries (such as Cyprien Tanguay’s Dictionnaire généalogique or René Jetté’s works) include extensive lists linking dit aliases to the base surname. The American-French Genealogical Society (AFGS) provides an online list of French-Canadian surnames with their variants and dit names, which can be invaluable for deciphering name changes. Additionally, the Research Program in Historical Demography (PRDH) at the University of Montréal allows you to search a surname and discover any associated dit nicknames found in Quebec records.

Compound and Multi-Part Surnames

French surnames often contain multiple parts, which can confuse indexers and researchers unfamiliar with them. For example, some surnames include particles like de, du, des (meaning “of” or “from”) or articles le, la, les (“the”). A name such as “Pierre de La Cour” might appear under “La Cour” or “Cour” in different records. Similarly, surnames beginning with Le/La (like LeBlanc, LaPierre) may be alphabetized under L or B/P depending on the source. These multi-part surnames are not middle names, but integral parts of the family name. Genealogists should be careful to preserve spacing, capitalization, and particles as found in the original records when searching databases (e.g. try searching both LeFebvre and Febvre).

Also common are “Saint” names (St./Ste.) such as St. Pierre or Ste. Marie. These are usually treated as part of the surname. Be aware that abbreviations might differ (Ste. vs Saint), and alphabetization may vary (some indexes list St. Pierre under “Saint” while others treat “St.” as “Saint”). When searching, try variations with and without abbreviations.

French women traditionally did not change their surnames at marriage in Catholic records (especially in Québec and France). In church registers and civil documents, a married woman might be recorded under her maiden name. However, in American records the same woman could appear under her husband’s surname. Keep this in mind when you encounter a female ancestor: you may need to search by maiden name in French records but by married name in U.S. records.

Patronymic and Matronymic Patterns

Many French surnames originated as patronymics – based on a father’s given name – or, more rarely, matronymics – based on a mother’s name. Unlike Scandinavian patronymics, French surnames eventually became fixed and did not change every generation, but their origins can provide clues. For example, the surname Auger might come from a forefather named Auger, or Martin from an ancestor named Martin. In France, the majority of surnames were formed this way, often without any prefix, essentially using the parent’s first name as the family name. A name like Thomas Robert originally signified “Thomas, son of Robert.”

Sometimes a prefix or suffix denoting “son of” was used, though this was less common in France than in other countries. Examples include prefixes like “de” or the Norman “fitz” (e.g. Jean de Gaulle could mean “John, son of Gaulle”). More often in French, diminutive suffixes were added to a parent’s name to form a surname. Suffixes such as -eau, -el, -elle, -et, -ot indicate “little son of” or a pet form. For instance, Jacquet could derive from “little Jacques” and Colinot from “little Colin.” If you encounter a surname like Martel or Pelletier, recognize that historically it might have been referencing “son of Martin” or an occupation with a diminutive twist, respectively. Understanding these patterns can help you identify that Louis Robert in one record might be related to the family using surname Robert elsewhere (signaling an ancestral first name Robert).

In some cases, matronymic surnames arose when the father’s identity was unknown or to honor an influential mother. For example, an illegitimate child in a French parish register might be given the mother’s surname, and that name could carry on in the family line. Genealogists should note circumstances like illegitimacy or widowhood; a child could appear with the mother’s last name in baptism records but later use a stepfather’s surname. Always corroborate parentage from multiple records (baptisms, marriages, etc.) to untangle such situations.

Spelling Variations and Phonetic Spelling

French surnames historically were spelled with varying French orthography, and when these names crossed into English-speaking record systems, spelling variations multiplied. It’s common to find the same person’s name spelled in different ways across records. Reasons include regional accents, spelling reforms, literacy levels, and clerical interpretation. Accents and special characters in French (such as é, è, ç) were often dropped or changed in English records. For example, bélanger might appear as Belanger (without the accent) in U.S. documents. A name like François could be written Francois or even anglicized to Francis in an English context.

Researchers should be prepared for phonetic spellings. French names that contain sounds uncommon in English may have been written as they sounded to English ears. For example, the French surname Thibault (pronounced “Tee-bow”) might be spelled Tebo or Thibo in American records. Similarly, Dubé (pronounced “Doo-bay”) could appear as Dubey. Consonants and vowels might get swapped with English equivalents – Grenier could show up as Greenia or Grenyea in an American census (an English attempt at the French nasal sound). Silent letters in French (like the -d in Richard) might be dropped by English writers, or an extra -s added (resulting in Richar or Richards).

To tackle this, cast a wide net when searching. Use wildcard characters if the database allows (e.g. search for “Gr?nier” to catch Grenier/Grainier variations). Make note of any alternate spellings you encounter in indexes or previous research on the family. Often, immigration or naturalization papers will list an original spelling and a changed one side by side. Don’t assume a slightly different spelling is a separate family – investigate if it could be your ancestor under a variant spelling.

Finally, language of record plays a role. French Catholic church records in America (e.g. in Louisiana or in French-Canadian communities in New England) might record names in French or Latin forms, preserving the original spelling, whereas civil records by English officials may show an Anglicized form. Be diligent in comparing records – you might find Marie Thérèse Lejeune in a church baptism and Mary T. Young (literal translation of Lejeune, which means “the young”) in a later U.S. census, referring to the same person. Always verify by looking at multiple data points (age, spouse, location) that a name variant truly matches your ancestor.

Evolution of French Surnames After Immigration

When French bearers of these surnames settled in the United States (whether in colonial times or later migrations), their names often evolved in spelling and form. These changes were usually not formal name changes at Ellis Island (the common myth) but gradual adaptations by the individuals and communities over time. Understanding how French surnames were Anglicized or altered will help you track ancestors across borders and language contexts. Below are common ways French surnames changed in America, with examples:

Phonetic Anglicization: Many French names were respelled according to how they sounded in English. English-speaking clerks and priests wrote the names phonetically using English spelling rules, which could drastically change their appearance. For example, the French surname Bousquet (pronounced roughly “boos-KAY”) was recorded as “Bostwick” in 19th-century Vermont. Chouquette (“shoe-KET”) turned into “Shackett,” and Michaud (“mee-SHOW”) became “Mitchell” in some U.S. records. In these cases, the French name was replaced with an English name that sounded similar. If you cannot find your ancestor under the original spelling, sound out the name and consider what an English speaker might write – for instance, Laroche might appear as “LaRash” or “Rock,” and Beausoleil (“bo-so-lay”) might emerge as “Bozolet” or similar in old records.
Direct Translation of Meaning: Some French surnames were translated into English by meaning. This often occurred when the surname was also a common noun or adjective. For example, Lenoir means “the black (one)” in French; accordingly, in English records it might appear simply as “Black.” Indeed, cases are documented where Lenoir became Black and Roi (“king”) became “King” in America. Another classic example: LeBlanc, which literally means “the white,” is found changed to “White” in some Louisiana and New England families. Lejeune (“the young”) likewise was translated to “Young.” This kind of change can be the hardest to recognize, since the name is completely different language. If your French surname is also a vocabulary word (Petit – “small,” Laforge – “the forge”), check English translations or synonyms in records. Some Acadian exiles named LeJeune in Louisiana, for instance, eventually used Young as their surname.
Choosing One Part of a Compound Name: For those with dit names or compound surnames, immigration often forced a choice of one name. An American clerk unfamiliar with the dit tradition might record only one of the two surnames – and sometimes it wasn’t the original family name. Confusion over dit names led some families to adopt either the alias or the original as their sole surname in the U.S., occasionally in Anglicized form. For example, the French-Canadian family Homand dit Francoeur split in America: some descendants used Francoeur (sometimes preserving the French spelling) while others went by “Oman” (an English phonetic rendering of Homand). If your ancestral surname doesn’t match exactly what’s in French records, consider whether it could have been an alternate (dit) name that “stuck” or a fragment of a longer name. Check indexes of dit names to see if your name is listed as either primary or alias for another – you may discover, for example, that “Oakes” was originally DesChênes (chêne meaning oak in French) or “Rivers” came from DesRivières.
Partial Translations or “Reinvented” Names: In some instances, immigrants deliberately modified their names to better fit in. A notable case is Apollos Rivoire, a French Huguenot immigrant in 18th-century Boston, who changed his name to Paul Revere “merely so that the bumpkins could pronounce it.” Here the original surname was altered to an English-sounding form (dropping the French -oire ending). Similarly, historical records show French surnames taking on Irish or English stylings – for example, Auclair might appear as O’Clair, as if it were Irish. These changes were informal but purposeful, often done by the immigrants or their children to avoid bias or ease pronunciation. Keep an eye out for creative Anglicizations: a surname like Beauchemin (whose sound resembled “Bushman”) could transform to Bushman, and Deslauriers (day-loh-ree-ay) might become Delory or Lawrence. Cross-reference U.S. census entries, city directories, and vital records for known family members – you might find the same person listed under different versions of the surname, giving clues to the transition.
Retention of Original Spelling: Not all names were heavily changed. In areas with strong French communities or in records kept by French speakers, surnames often remained intact or only slightly modified (like losing accent marks). For example, many Acadian-Cajun families in Louisiana retained the French spelling of names like Broussard, Thibodeaux, or Mouton well into the 20th century. Their pronunciation may have shifted locally (e.g. Thibodeaux spoken as “TIB-uh-doh”), and occasionally simplified spellings arose (such as Thibodeau without the x). In some cases, one branch of a family Anglicized while another did not. An illustrative Louisiana case is the surname Hebert – historically spelled the same, but some branches began pronouncing it as the English “HEE-bert” and even respelled it as Hébert or Abert in records, while others kept the French “AY-bear” pronunciation and spelling. Always compare multiple records over time: an ancestor might appear with the original French spelling in a Catholic baptism but under an Anglicized spelling by the time of their death certificate.

In summary, French surnames in the U.S. underwent a spectrum of changes from minor spelling tweaks to complete transformation. As a researcher, compile all known variants of the surname. Utilize genealogical publications or databases that specifically list French surname variants and Anglicizations – for instance, the AFGS has a 37,000-name list of French-Canadian surname variants and their U.S. equivalents. When searching records, be flexible and try those different forms. It can also help to learn the meaning of your ancestor’s surname; knowing that Leblanc means “white” might alert you to a potential switch to White. By accounting for these evolutions, you can trace French ancestors through censuses, immigration manifests, naturalization papers, and vital records even as their names shape-shift across documents.

Regional Considerations for French-American Surname Research

*Map showing the Lake Champlain–Richelieu River corridor between Quebec and New York/Vermont*

French immigration to North America didn’t happen in just one wave or location – it spans centuries and regions. As you trace French surnames in the United States, it’s helpful to consider where and when your ancestors lived, since French naming patterns and record sources can vary by region. Below, we explore key regions with French heritage – Louisiana, New England/Northeast, the Midwest – as well as early French Protestant (Huguenot) settlements. A nationwide approach ensures you don’t overlook region-specific resources or historical contexts that could impact your research.

Louisiana and the Gulf Coast (French Creole and Acadian Roots)

Louisiana boasts one of the oldest and richest French genealogical legacies in the U.S. Beginning with the founding of New Orleans in 1718, French colonists (and later some Swiss, Germans, and Africans under French rule) established families whose surnames persist today. In the mid-18th century, Louisiana’s French population grew with the arrival of the Acadians (ancestors of today’s Cajuns), expelled from Nova Scotia in the 1750s and resettled in south Louisiana. The result is a unique blend of Creole (colonial French, Spanish, African mix) and Acadian French cultures. When researching French surnames in Louisiana, keep in mind the following:

Multi-Lingual Record Heritage: Louisiana was governed by France, then Spain, then the U.S., and its local populations spoke French (including a Creole dialect called Kouri-Vini), Spanish, and English. Therefore, the same individual’s name might appear in different languages depending on who recorded the document. It’s not uncommon to find a French name translated or spelled in Spanish during the Spanish period, then in English in U.S. records. For example, a man recorded in French as Jacques Levert (le vert meaning “the green”) could appear in a Spanish record as Santiago Verde and later in an English context as James (or Jack) Green, all referring to the same person. Be alert to such tri-lingual equivalents: Jean may be Juan or John; Guillaume could be Guillermo or William; Marguerite might be Margarita or Margaret.
Creolization of Surnames: In Louisiana’s predominantly French-speaking parishes, some surnames evolved locally in spelling and pronunciation – a process sometimes called Creolization. For instance, French surnames might acquire phonetic spellings as pronounced by French Creole speakers or by their Spanish neighbors. An example from Louisiana records: Bruslé (from French Brûlé, meaning “burnt”) became Brusley. Surnames of foreign origin were also adapted – a Spanish name like Viegas might morph into Biagas in a French Creole context. If you’re tracking a Louisiana line, gather all spelling variants from local sources (church records, civil records, military draft cards, etc.) and recognize that an “anglicized” form by 1910 might mask a French name from 1810.
Acadian “Dit” Names: Many Acadian families carried dit names which they continued to use in Louisiana. For example, the Melanson family was known as Melanson dit LaVerdure; some descendants might use Melancon while others used Verdure or Green (verdure means greenery). The Acadian Memorial’s database includes a Surname Guide that lists variant spellings and dit names of Acadian exiles – a helpful tool for deciphering Louisiana records. Always check if an Acadian surname had an alternate – it could be the key to connecting an ancestor in Louisiana back to records in Acadie (Maritime Canada).
Catholic Church Records: French Louisianans were predominantly Catholic. Parish registers, often kept in French (or Latin) well into the 19th century, are prime resources for accurate surname information – baptisms, marriages, and burials often preserved original name spellings. Many early Louisiana church records have been published in books (for example, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has multi-volume published sacramental records from 1718 onward). Use these to verify name spellings and family connections. Note that some priests during the American period (especially non-French clergy) might have Anglicized names in the registers, so you may see dual forms even in church documents.
Civil Records and Name Changes: By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as English became dominant, some Louisiana French families did formally or informally anglicize their surnames. This often coincided with World War I and II eras, or migration out of Louisiana. You may discover that one branch “Americanized” their name while another retained the French. For example, one sibling named Dupuis might remain Dupuis, while another in a different city might be recorded as Dupree. Always track siblings and cousins – they can lead you to alternate versions of the surname. If you encounter an unfamiliar English surname in a Louisiana context, consider if it could be a translation: e.g. Wood as a possible anglicization of Bois / Dubois.

Louisiana research will have you oscillating between French, Spanish, and American records. Embrace the puzzle: a single French surname might open the door to records in Québec, France, Spain (for Spanish Louisiana administrative records), and of course U.S. archives. Understanding the historical context of each period in Louisiana (French colony, Spanish rule, U.S. state) will guide you to the right repositories and help explain why your ancestor’s name appears as it does in a given record.

New England and the Northeast (French-Canadian Immigration)

New England (along with northern New York) witnessed a massive influx of French surnames in the 19th and early 20th centuries, thanks to French-Canadian immigration. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians from Québec, Acadie (the Maritimes), and Newfoundland crossed into the U.S., drawn by industrial jobs and farmland. They settled in states like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and upstate New York – often forming “Little Canada” neighborhoods in mill towns and cities. If your French surname ancestor lived in the Northeast, consider these factors:

Quebec Origins and Records: In many cases, your ancestor in New England will trace back to Catholic parish records in Québec or other parts of Canada. It’s common to find that the family only appears in U.S. records from, say, 1860 onward, having been in Canada before that. Use U.S. census data (which often lists birthplaces) to determine the likely time of move and the Canadian origin. Once you identify a Canadian hometown or parish, you can access those Canadian records (see Resources) for the original French surname spellings and full family connections. Names in the Quebec records will be in French and usually un-anglicized, which helps confirm any changes that occurred later in the U.S.
Franco-American Name Transformations: The pattern of name changes discussed earlier (phonetic spelling, translation, etc.) was especially prevalent in New England. Many French-Canadian immigrants were illiterate or spoke little English, so when they settled in the U.S., English-speaking officials recorded their names – sometimes imperfectly. Over generations, some families chose to adopt the new spellings as their official name. For example, a Quebec family named Desrochers might appear in Massachusetts as “Drosha”, and later descendants might spell it Drosher. Be alert to radical spelling shifts in records between Canada and New England – they’re often the same name heard through different ears. A classic translation in New England is Boisvert (French for “green wood”) becoming Greenwood in English records. Likewise, Leblanc -> White, Lajoie -> Joy, Denis -> Dennis, Ouellet -> Willette, etc., have all been documented in Northeast communities as families assimilated.
Community and Church: One advantage for researchers is that French-Canadians in New England often formed tight-knit communities and established French-language Catholic parishes. These parish registers (many of which survive in diocesan archives or on microfilm) might be written in French or Latin, preserving original names. For instance, if your ancestor lived in Woonsocket, RI or Lowell, MA, look for a parish with a French name (St. Jean Baptiste, St. Louis-de-Gonzague, etc.) – their records can be goldmines for accurate names and even include notations of the person’s origin parish in Canada. In contrast, if no French parish was available and they attended an Irish- or English-ethnic parish, their names might have been “normalized” to English by the priest. Using church records in tandem with civil records (like state birth, marriage, death registrations) can give you variant forms of the surname around the same dates, helping to connect the dots.
Employment Records and Fraternal Societies: Many Franco-Americans joined societies (like the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste or French Canadian workmen’s clubs). Membership rosters or insurance records from these organizations (if available) often kept the French spelling of names, as these were community-run. Similarly, newspapers in French (several existed, e.g. Le Messager in Maine or La Justice in Massachusetts) printed local names in their French form. Don’t overlook these community sources – a surname might be Angus in an English document but show up as Ange (short for Angers) in a French paper’s list of event attendees.
Border Crossing and Repeated Migration: Unlike overseas immigrants, French-Canadians often moved back and forth across the border. They didn’t have to go through Ellis Island; instead, many entered via train or foot at border points in Vermont or New York. The U.S. kept border crossing records (after 1895, e.g. the “St. Albans Lists”) which can have the person’s original name and even closest Canadian relative. If your ancestor naturalized, the naturalization papers may also reveal original spellings or even have an alias (“also known as”) if they used multiple versions of their name. Track all these records. You might find an ancestor listed as “Joseph Lachance” on a 1900 census (perhaps simplified to “La Chance”), but his 1903 border crossing card says “Joseph Lachance dit La Fortune”, instantly giving you a clue to a dit name (LaFortune) that could appear on earlier Quebec documents.

In sum, researching French surnames in New England is often a cross-border project. Success comes from correlating U.S. records (with sometimes modified names) to Canadian records (with original names). Once the connection is made, the robust genealogical documentation of Quebec (and Acadian regions) can take your family tree back many generations. Just remember to keep an open mind on spelling and use the French-speaking community context to your advantage – if something looks like a gibberish name in English, try pronouncing it with a French accent or translating it; you may unlock what the name originally was.

Midwest and Great Lakes (French Settlers and Migrants in the Heartland)

French surnames in the Midwestern United States often date back to two different eras: the colonial period of New France (17th–18th centuries) and later 19th-century migration from Canada. States like Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota have pockets of French-descended families with deep local roots. Here’s how to approach French name research in these areas:

Colonial French Settlements: Prior to U.S. expansion, the French had established forts and communities in the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley region – part of “Pays des Illinois” and Upper Louisiana. Cities such as Detroit (founded 1701), St. Louis (1764), Kaskaskia in Illinois (1700s), Vincennes in Indiana, Green Bay and Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin, and even Natchez (MS) had French founding families. If your French surname appears in the Midwest in the 1700s or early 1800s, it likely originates from these early settlers. Genealogists should consult Catholic parish registers and civil archives from the time of French control or early U.S. territorial days. For instance, Detroit’s Ste. Anne Church has records back to 1704, written in French, documenting families like Campeau, Descomptes (O’Campbell), Chene, etc. Many of these records have been transcribed or indexed by historical societies. French surnames in these areas might have stayed relatively intact, but as American settlers poured in, some names Americanized. (Detroit’s French Chene family name, meaning “oak,” gave its name to “Chene Street,” but individuals sometimes became known as Oak or Shane in English contexts.)
Mixing with Other Communities: In frontier regions, French settlers often intermarried with Native Americans or with later arriving Anglo-Americans, which can affect surname usage. A child of a French trader and a Native American mother might carry a French surname but could also be recorded under an anglicized version or a translated one. Additionally, after the U.S. acquired these territories, some French families adopted English surnames or added English aliases to better integrate. For example, early records might show François Lafond, but later he might be known in local American circles as Frank Lafond or Frank Fountain (since la fond means “the bottom,” which could be interpreted as fountain base, etc.). These cases are highly individual – look for clues in land records and wills where an alias might be mentioned (“…also known as…”).
19th-Century French-Canadian Migration: Much like New England, the Midwest attracted French-Canadian and Acadian migrants in the 19th century. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan logging camps were filled with French-Canadian lumbermen; Illinois saw Quebec farmers in places like Bourbonnais; Minnesota had settlers from Quebec in communities such as Gentilly or Little Canada; and North Dakota and Montana even had Métis and French-Canadian homesteaders. Researching these will be similar to the New England approach – trace back to Canadian records and be mindful of Anglicization. One difference is that in the Midwest, French Canadians sometimes settled in smaller, close-knit villages (e.g., a cluster of families in a rural township) or intermingled with other immigrant groups, which might have led to quicker assimilation. Surnames might change within one generation. For example, a Quebec-born Dupuis in Minnesota might appear as Dupree or Dupee by his children’s generation due to spelling adjustments.
Place Names as Clues: The Midwest is dotted with French place names (Des Moines, Marquette, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, etc.). If your family lore mentions a French ancestor in the Midwest, consider that their presence might be tied to these historically French areas. The presence of a French surname in early county records can often be cross-verified with histories of that county which might mention prominent French pioneers. Many county history books (circa 1880s–1890s) have sections on early settlers, and if French, they sometimes comment on the name origin (e.g., noting that “the Beaubien family, originally de Bobian from Quebec, settled here in 18xx”).
Records and Repositories: Key records for Midwest French research include the U.S. territorial and state censuses, early Catholic church records (many of which are archived at universities or diocesan archives), and land grants (some French settlers had land from French or Spanish colonial grants later recognized by the U.S.). Also, keep an eye out for French notarial records that might have been brought or recreated – for example, Kaskaskia’s 18th-century French notaries recorded contracts and wills in French, and some survive in translated form. These notarial documents can mention family relationships and name variants. Societies in the Midwest (see Resources) have published journals and transcripts focusing on French fur traders, voyageurs, and settlers – those can be a treasure trove for connecting an elusive surname (for instance, identifying that the “Chabot” in Wisconsin in 1805 is the same family as “Chabot dit Lamarche” in Québec).

By approaching Midwest French surname research with both a colonial lens and an immigrant lens, you can piece together how your family name came to the Heartland. Was your ancestor’s name in Michigan by way of a 1700s voyageur ancestor, or via a lumberjack from Montréal in 1880? The answer will guide you to the right records – be they colonial French archives or Canadian civil records – and explain any transformations in the surname along the way.

Huguenot and Other Early French Settlers (Outside Quebec/Louisiana)

Not all French immigrants to America were Catholic or came via Canada/Louisiana. In the 17th and 18th centuries, thousands of French Protestants – the Huguenots – fled religious persecution in France and settled in the English colonies. If your French surname ancestors were Huguenots, or French immigrants in other regions, consider this context:

Huguenot Migration: Major Huguenot settlements in colonial America included parts of New York (e.g., New Rochelle, New Paltz), New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia (Manakin Town near Richmond), and South Carolina (Charleston area). These French Protestants often arrived between 1680 and 1720. Unlike Quebec or Louisiana French, the Huguenots assimilated into English-speaking society relatively quickly, as they shared the Protestant religion of their neighbors. As a result, Huguenot surnames were among the first to be Anglicized. Some families translated their names to English outright, while others kept a French spelling that English speakers adapted. For example, Jacques LeFevre in France might become Jacob Faver in New York, and eventually just Fever or Fevur in records. The famous patriot Paul Revere was the son of a Huguenot immigrant named Apollos Rivoire, who changed his surname from Rivoire to Revere in Boston. Similarly, the de la Montagne family in New York became Delamontanye, and Laurent became Laurens in the Carolinas. When researching, check if there’s an English equivalent or simplified form of the name – e.g., Dubosc might be Dubose, Girard might appear as Giraud or Jerrod, Lucas might just remain Lucas (a name common in both languages).
Huguenot Records: Many Huguenots recorded vital events in churches they founded, some of which kept registers in French (at least initially). For instance, the French Church of New York (L’Église française du St. Esprit) maintained birth, marriage, and death registers from 1688-1804, which have been published. These registers preserve original French name forms and are crucial for connecting colonial descendants to their immigrant ancestors. The same is true for early French churches in Charleston (the Huguenot Church records) and elsewhere. Seek out publications by Huguenot societies – the Huguenot Society of South Carolina and the Huguenot Society of America (based in New York) have published genealogies and transcriptions of records that can provide the French version of an ancestor’s surname (for example, showing that an ancestor recorded as “John Peter” in local records was originally Jean Pierre).
Non-Huguenot French Immigrants: Outside the big waves, there were other French arrivals – e.g., Napoleonic exiles in early 1800s Alabama and Pennsylvania, mid-19th century French immigrants who settled in cities like New Orleans, St. Louis, San Francisco, or New York, and even 20th-century immigrants (such as war brides after WWII or professionals). These individuals often came directly from France and typically settled in cosmopolitan areas. Their surnames might remain in the original form (especially in 19th/20th century when spelling standardization improved), but watch for subtle Anglicization (dropping a silent -d or -t, or changing -in to -ine, etc.) to better fit English norms. A 1850s French immigrant named François Gaudreau in Illinois might appear as Francis Godro in an English-language newspaper. Use naturalization records and passenger lists for these cases – they usually contain the full original name and sometimes any “aliases” used in America.
Geographic “Beyond”: French surnames can truly be found coast to coast. In places like Texas and California, you might find descendants of French settlers (Texas had a short-lived French colony, and later Alsatian French immigrants founded Castroville, TX, in the 1840s). In California, the Gold Rush and wine country attracted some French – e.g., the Lachapelle family in Sonoma or the Lelande (Leland) in San Francisco. Typically, these isolated French families merged into the English-speaking majority, and their names may or may not have changed. Always consider pronunciation – a French name might have been spelled by sound in an English record if the community was not used to French names.

In all these “other” contexts, one constant is that French names often got an English gloss. Early Huguenot names underwent a sort of natural Anglicization over generations. Later French arrivals might not have changed their names drastically, but their descendants sometimes did if they felt it necessary. For instance, a 1880s French immigrant Dupont in New York might still be Dupont in 1930, but a branch of his family in the 1950s might choose to be “DuPont” (capital P, Americanizing the styling) or even Howard (since du pont means “of the bridge” – though a leap, it’s not impossible if someone wanted a fresh start). Treat each case individually, and use societies and publications focusing on that group (e.g., Huguenot society journals, French heritage groups in a given state) to learn common name variations and resources.

Recommended Resources for French-American Surname Research

Researching French-American genealogy is greatly aided by the wealth of specialized resources available. Below is a detailed list of recommended databases, archives, books, societies, and online tools to help you trace and interpret French surnames in the United States. These resources cover both American records and the French/Canadian records that often hold the key to earlier generations.

Online Databases and Genealogical Tools

FamilySearch – The free FamilySearch website offers a vast collection of records for French, French-Canadian, Acadian, and Huguenot research. FamilySearch has digitized Catholic parish registers from Québec and Acadie, which are crucial for original surname spellings. It also provides U.S. census and vital records indexes where you can search surname variants. Tip: Use FamilySearch’s France, Records of name changes (1803–1956) index if you suspect an official name change in France (many Huguenots or post-Revolution emigrants had to register changes).
MyHeritage - The MyHeritage website offers over 120 record collections related to France, including:
GenealogyQuebec (Drouin Institute) – This is a go-to subscription site for French-Canadian research. It includes the LaFrance database (indexed baptisms, marriages, and burials from Quebec up to 1917), and repertories of Quebec surname variations, not to mention notarial records and census. It’s invaluable for pinpointing an ancestor’s original name in Quebec or Acadia. If you have a rough idea of a name, you can search variants; for example, searching “Beaulieu” might also pull up “Bolieu” or “Bolyu”, showing how the name appeared in records.
PRDH – Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique – An academic database of Quebec’s Catholic population from 1621–1849. By entering a surname, you can find all individuals with that name in the database and even see associated dit names ( The nicknames and “dit names” of French-Canadian ancestors | Library and Archives Canada Blog ). PRDH links families across generations, which can clarify if a surname changed (perhaps noting “also known as X” in the family grouping). It’s a paid service (credits-based) but extremely useful for 17th-18th century French-Canadian lineage reconstruction.
HathiTrust / Internet Archive – Digital libraries where you can find old genealogy books and manuscripts. Look for published works like “Dictionnaire des Canadiens-Français” or genealogy society journals. For example, volumes of the Huguenot Society of America’s publications (which include transcriptions of early French church records) are available on Internet Archive. Similarly, French Canadian genealogical dictionaries (Tanguay, Jetté, etc.) might be accessible and searchable, allowing you to look up an ancestor and see if a dit name or variant is mentioned.
Acadian & Cajun Databases – The Acadian Memorial’s “Ensemble Encore” database is an online resource devoted to Acadian exiles who settled in Louisiana. It includes a Family Names index that shows variant spellings and dit names for Acadian families (e.g., it might tell you that Aucoin was recorded as “Au Coing” in 1785, etc.). Another resource is Acadian-Cajun Genealogy websites which often have surname sections listing known variations and associated lineages. These can guide you on what alternate name to search for in records.
Ellis Island / Castle Garden databases – If your French ancestor came in the late 19th or early 20th century directly from abroad, the Ellis Island database (1892-1924) or Castle Garden (pre-1892) may have their passenger entry under the original name. Remember that officials didn’t alter names, so whatever name the immigrant gave is what’s recorded. If they later changed it, comparing the passenger list name and later documents can confirm the change. For instance, a passenger record for “Aimé Picard” in 1910 might correspond to a man who went by “Amy Pickard” in 1920s Chicago – recognizing the French spelling on the manifest confirms it’s the same person.
Local Online Archives – Many states or universities have specialized collections. For example, the Illinois State Archives has databases for French and British colonial records of Illinois (including Kaskaskia manuscripts); the Missouri Historical Society offers French colonial documents of Missouri; the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) provides free online access to census of Canada records and some immigration lists (e.g., 1755 Acadian exile lists or 1890s border entry lists). Always check both sides of the border – the information you need might be recorded in a Canadian archive but is key to your U.S. research (like a Canadian marriage record stating “moved to New England in 1895”).

Libraries, Archives, and Societies

American-French Genealogical Society (AFGS) – Based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, AFGS is dedicated to French-Canadian and Acadian genealogy. They have a research library and publish a journal (Je Me Souviens). Importantly, AFGS has compiled an online listing of 37,000+ French-Canadian surnames with variants, dit names, and Anglicizations – a crucial resource to consult when you hit a surname roadblock. (See their website’s “Surname Variations” section.) They also provide research help and have many Québec parish repertoires available.
Franco-American Genealogical Societies – In areas with heavy Franco-American presence, local societies can be extremely helpful. For example, the Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society (Lewiston, ME) focuses on Maine and Acadian families; the Vermont French-Canadian Genealogical Society (at the Vermont Genealogy Library in Burlington) offers classes and a library of Franco-American resources; the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan (Detroit area) specializes in the families of Michigan and the Old Northwest; the French Canadian Heritage Society of California (Los Angeles) helps those tracing Québec ancestors from a West Coast perspective. Connect with these groups for region-specific databases (some have surname index projects, like Michigan’s Marriage Index of French Canadians) and for knowledgeable volunteers.
Huguenot Societies and Libraries – If you are researching Huguenot ancestors, the Huguenot Society of America (in New York City) and the Huguenot Society of South Carolina (Charleston) maintain libraries and archives of Huguenot records. The New York society’s library includes family folders and published genealogies of many Huguenot families. The South Carolina society has collected Protestant church records and tombstone inscriptions from early French churches. There are also local chapters and affiliated groups, e.g., the Huguenot Historical Society in New Paltz, NY, which operates a research library focusing on the New York Huguenot patentees. These societies often publish quarterlies or proceedings that contain scholarly research on Huguenot families – worth reviewing for leads on surname origins and European connections.
Louisiana Archives and Societies: For French surnames in Louisiana, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds colonial-era civil records (some in French and Spanish) and an index to early Louisiana settlers. The Le Comité des Archives de la Louisiane is a genealogical group that has published transcripts and indexes of church and courthouse records across Louisiana. They also publish a journal (Archives), and many of their members are experts on Acadian and Creole lineages. Similarly, the German-Acadian Coast Historical and Genealogical Society (based in the River Parishes) covers families in some of the oldest settlements (which, despite the name, includes many French Creole families). These local organizations often have surname files or can guide you to courthouse records where a name change might be recorded (for instance, a legal anglicization in the early 1900s).
Canadian Archives and Societies: Don’t forget resources across the border. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) provides access to notarial records and parish registers. The Société généalogique canadienne-française (SGCF) in Montréal has an extensive library and help for French-Canadian research. The Genealogical Society of Quebec (Quebec Family History Society) serves English-speaking researchers tracing French Canadian roots. If your research leads to France, the Archives départementales of the specific French region your ancestors came from may have free online archives of church and civil records. French departmental archives also sometimes have indexes of passport requests or emigrant lists from that area, which could mention people leaving for America.
Libraries with Franco-American Collections: Some U.S. libraries have specialized collections – for example, the University of Maine’s Franco-American Centre or Assumption University’s French Institute (Worcester, MA) – that contain old newspapers, family genealogies, and manuscripts related to French Americans. The Newberry Library in Chicago has a renowned collection for genealogy, including French and German fur trade families of the Midwest. The Allen County Public Library (Ft. Wayne, IN) has one of the largest genealogy collections and includes many French-Canadian resources (like the Répertoires of Quebec parishes and published family histories). If you can’t visit, you can often email these libraries for assistance or look at their online catalogs to see what books might be obtained via interlibrary loan.

Key Reference Works and Publications

Dictionnaire Tanguay – Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes by Abbé Cyprien Tanguay (published 1871-1890) is a foundational work for Quebec genealogy. Volume 7 of Tanguay’s dictionary includes a compiled list of “noms dits” (dit names) linking them to the primary surname. If you suspect a dit name, checking Tanguay can confirm it. The earlier volumes (1–6) detail family lineages from the 1600s to late 1700s and can help place an ancestor in context.
René Jetté’s Dictionnaire des familles du Québec – A more modern (1983) and often more accurate compilation than Tanguay for the period up to 1730, with corrections to some of Tanguay’s errors. Jetté lists settlers by surname, including variant spellings and dit names, and gives the immigrant ancestor’s origin when known. It’s in French, but even non-French speakers can navigate the name entries and dates. This book is available in many genealogy libraries.
“Répertoire des noms de famille du Québec, des origines à 1825” by René Jetté and Micheline Lécuyer – A fantastic index of surnames found in Quebec up to 1825, with standardized spellings. It essentially cross-references variant spellings and dit names to a primary name. For example, you can find that “Sisko” and “Cyasko” are variants of “Charest” (hypothetically). This helps when a name appears wildly differently in a record.
Dictionary of Americanized French-Canadian Names by Marc Picard (2013) – A specialized book focusing on how French-Canadian surnames changed in the U.S. It provides the original surname and the forms it took after migration. For instance, it might list “Beauchemin –> Beauchman, Bushman” or “Carrefour –> Crossway”. Picard is a linguistic expert, and his work is grounded in many examples of records. This reference can be illuminating if you’re faced with a very changed name.
French-Canadian Sources: A Guide for Genealogists by Patricia Kenney Geyh, et al. – A comprehensive guidebook (published 2002) that covers all major sources for French-Canadian research, including those needed once your U.S. research hits the Canadian border. It explains church records, notarial records, census, and emigration patterns. It also has chapters on Acadian research and Franco-American research, with bibliography. This guide can direct you to the right archival source or index for a particular problem (for example, it might point you to Notre-Dame-de-Montréal marriage repertoires if you suspect an ancestor married there before moving to the U.S.).
Local Histories and Family Genealogies: Keep an eye out for published genealogy books on specific families or regions. For example, “The French-Canadian Heritage in New England” by Gérard Brault gives historical insight into that migration. In Louisiana, books like “Acadian Genealogy Exchange” volumes or works by Reverend Donald Hebert compile church records and family group sheets for Cajun families. If your surname is unique, there might even be a family association publication or website (the Federation of Quebec Families can help identify if an official family association exists for that surname). These often have newsletters or books with collected research, which could save you time or alert you to variant names used by the family.
Historical Maps and Gazetteers: Since French surnames often derive from places, using maps of France and New France can help interpret a name. A surname like Normand likely indicates an ancestor from Normandy; Lafrance might signal a nickname for someone who came from France to New France. Understanding the geography can sometimes explain a dit name. Additionally, gazetteers for Quebec can help find the parish that matches a surname cluster.

By leveraging these resources – from online databases to old-world archives – you will build a fuller picture of your French-American surname’s journey. Document each variant spelling or alias you encounter, and refer to these tools to learn its significance. French surname research is a bit like solving a puzzle with pieces in two (or more) languages; fortunately, a strong community of genealogists (past and present) have left behind clues and compilations to guide you. With careful investigation and the right resources, you can trace your French-origin surname across centuries and continents, uncovering the rich heritage it represents.

Explore more about French American Surnames

Last name research on MyHeritage
French historical record collections on MyHeritage
How to trace your French ancestors with MyHeritage resources webinar on Legacy Family Tree Webinars
An introduction to Filae: the largest source of French archives webinar on Legacy Family Tree Webinars
Finding French Ancestors
Acadian Memorial - Genealogy webinar on Legacy Family Tree Webinars
American French Genealogical Society (AFGS)
Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours - Internet Archive
Genealogy Quebec
Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique (The Research Program in Historical Demography)
Oh Those Dit Names! - Legacy Family Tree Software Blog
The nicknames and “dit names” of French-Canadian ancestors - Library and Archives Canada

References