🏛️ Tutorial: Tracing First Nations and Francophone Métis Ancestry in Quebec and New France

This guide updates and expands upon a foundational article on Quebec genealogy to provide a roadmap for tracing First Nations and Métis lineage through French-Canadian records. It integrates historical data with modern, accessible sources.

Lizzie Moar Metis Photo: Bernard Rogan Ross - 1869 | Public domain - Public Domain Dedication (CC0) flickr & Picryl

1. Terminology and Historical Context

The language used to describe Indigenous Peoples has changed significantly. Genealogists must be aware of the historical terms they will encounter in older documents, while using respectful, modern terminology in their research notes.

Historical Term (French/English)	Modern Term (English)	Notes
Amérindien / Amerindian	First Nations / Indigenous Person	Primarily a French-language term for Native Americans.
Sauvage / Savage	Derogatory	Common in French colonial records (pre-1900s), but now considered highly offensive.
Indien / Indian	First Nations / Indigenous Person	An outdated term for a Native person in Canada.
Métis (lowercase 'm')	Mixed Ancestry (General)	Historically, anyone of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry.
Métis (uppercase 'M')	The Métis Nation	A distinct Indigenous Nation with a specific history and culture centered in the Prairies.

Early Intermarriage in New France (1621-1765)

The original research highlighted that contrary to popular belief, intermarriage in early Quebec was statistically rare according to surviving Catholic records:

Statistics: Less than 0.3% of the over 44,500 recorded couples in the key genealogical databases (PRDH/Jetté) were mixed-blood or two Native individuals.
Acadia: Intermarriage appears to have been more frequent in Acadia, though records are less complete.

2. Researching in Early Church Records (1600-1850)

Tracing ancestry is challenging due to the historical use of non-hereditary naming conventions in mission registers.

Time Period	Naming Pattern in Records	Genealogical Strategy
1600-1800	Acts included a Christian name and sometimes an Indigenous name, which was not hereditary.	Look for an individual's Indigenous name to link multiple records (baptism, marriage, burial) throughout their lifetime.
1800-1850	Registers begin to consistently use hereditary family names for Indigenous individuals.	Once a family name appears, tracing a lineage back into earlier mission registers becomes much easier.

Note on Adoption: Adoptions—including Indigenous children raised by non-Indigenous families—were rarely, if ever, noted in standard Quebec parish registers before the 1930s.

❖ Key Early Genealogical Databases (Sources)

PRDH-IGD (Programme de recherche en démographie historique / Drouin Genealogical Institute): The foundational source. It covers all Catholic vital events in Quebec from 1621–1861 and is based on the work of René Jetté.
Genealogy Quebec (Drouin Collection): Provides digital images of the original mission parish registers (1621–~1940s) for Quebec and Acadia, allowing for a direct reading of the original documents.

3. Focus: Tracing Ancestry in Specific Missions/Communities

The most fruitful research is often done directly in the records of the specific Catholic missions established for Indigenous communities.

Mission/Reservation	Indigenous Nation	Suggested Genealogical Resource
Pierreville and Odanak	Abénakis	Search the printed marriage repertories (like Pontbriand's) or the Drouin Collection records for these specific parishes.
L'Ancienne-Lorette / Wendake	Huron-Wendat	The Huron-Wendat settled here (L'Ancienne-Lorette: 1673-1697, followed by Wendake). Records are found in the Drouin Collection and FamilySearch.
Sault-St-Louis (Kahnawake/Caughnawaga)	Mohawk	Check repertories (like Faribault's) or the Drouin/PRDH collections for St-François-Xavier du Sault-St-Louis.
L'Annonciation d'Oka	Mohawk, Algonquin	Search the published repertories (like Bernard's) or the parish registers in the major online collections.
Tadoussac	Montagnais/Innu	The registers for Tadoussac are included in the Drouin and PRDH collections.

4. Focus: The Métis Nation and Western Genealogy (Expansion)

While Quebec has many people of mixed ancestry, the Métis Nation refers to a specific Indigenous people originating in the Red River Valley (Manitoba and the Northwest).

❖ Key Métis Genealogical Records (Sources)

For those whose ancestry traces to the Western Métis Nation, the most critical records are held by Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

Métis Scrip Records (Source: LAC RG15): These application files were created when the government issued scrip (compensation for Aboriginal title). They are key genealogical sources, often containing:
- Detailed testimonies.
- Birth Dates not available elsewhere.
- Parental names and places of residence.
Red River Lot Maps (Source: LAC): Essential resources showing the names of property owners in the Red River Settlement before the transfer of land to Canada.

5. Focus: Post-1765 First Nations Records (Expansion)

For research spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, you must move beyond church records and into government documents.

Indian Affairs Records (Source: LAC, RG10):
- The Department of Indian Affairs fonds (Record Group 10) is crucial for researching Status Indians. It contains correspondence, early statistical censuses, and other records relating to various Bands and Agencies across Canada.
Indian Registers (Source: LAC):
- Established in 1951, this national register tracks individuals with Status Indian entitlements. LAC holds a paper copy of the registers from 1951–1984, but access is restricted due to privacy laws.
Canadian Census Records (Source: LAC):
- Census records (e.g., 1851, 1871, 1901, 1911) often recorded information about ethnic origin and may use terms like "Indian" or "Half-breed," providing valuable clues for family research.

6. Recommended Bibliography and Resources (Updated)

Original Source/Topic	Modern/Accessible Resource & Links	Notes
All Early Marriages (Pre-1731)	PRDH-IGD (Programme de recherche en démographie historique)	The gold standard for Quebec Catholic records and family reconstructions (1621-1861).
General Vital Records/Parish Registers	Genealogy Quebec (Drouin Collection)	Holds images of the original mission parish registers (all of Quebec).
Native Slaves	Trudel, Marcel, Dict. des esclaves ... au Canada-français	Still the primary source for identifying records of enslaved individuals, including Pawnee (Panis) and other Native slaves in New France.
Western Métis Genealogy	Library and Archives Canada (LAC) - Métis Scrip	Essential for tracing ancestors in the historic Métis Nation homeland.
First Nations Genealogy	Canada.ca - First Nations Genealogy Guide	Official guide to using resources like RG10 (Indian Affairs) and the Indian Registers.

Credits

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.