Presented by Margaret R. Fortier

Are you trying to locate your French-Canadian ancestors and running into brick walls? Between name changes in the US and not understanding French, it can be daunting.

We will look at finding your French-Canadian ancestors if you know their origin in Quebec and if you don’t. We’ll cover all kinds of name changes: dit names, variations, translated names, anglicized names, first names. We will explore the concept of survivance in French-Canadian culture, why they emigrated to the US, and how French-Canadian immigration was fundamentally different from European immigration. Quebec records, a veritable goldmine for genealogists, are introduced and illustrated.

Margaret R. Fortier, CG® is a Board-certified genealogical researcher, writer, and lecturer. A graduate of Boston College and Bentley University, she holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a facilitator for the virtual Certification Discussion Group.