Over $4.5 million for research on Francophone migrations

For the next seven years, researchers will study the migration paths of French Canadians throughout North America, between 1640 and 1940, and how they impacted the collective and individual experiences.

The large-scale project is set to begin in September and will be led by Université de Saint-Boniface’s Dr.Yves Frenette, an historian, who holds the Canada Research Chair on Migrations, Transfers and Francophone Communities.

Dr. Frenette will receive $2,495,100 over seven years from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for the project, Trois siècles de migrations francophones en Amérique du Nord (1640-1940) – Three Centuries of Francophone Migrations in North America (1640-1940).

The project aims to shed light on the central role played by the migration of Francophones in the genesis and evolution of North American populations over a span of three centuries.

Twenty-five researchers and 15 collaborators, as well as 27 partnerships with post-secondary institutions and heritage organizations from Canada, the US and Europe, which have, for their part, committed to contributing additional funding equalling $2,094,873, will be involved.

Map of New France in about 1750 using modern political boundaries.
Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The study will concentrate on four populations: Acadians; French-Canadians from the St. Lawrence Valley; Métis, born of European and Indigenous unions; and migrants from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Syria and Lebanon.

“I am delighted that this research project, which takes a university-community approach focusing on Canadian and North American Francophone realities and draws on the Francophone experience and all its potential, was found to be relevant by the SSHRC,” said USB vice-president, Academic and Research, Peter Dorrington.

Dr. Frenette said, “This project will also further thought and discussion on current affairs and issues surrounding immigration, cultural diversity, living together and community life.”

The regions of Saguenay, Quebec City, Montreal, the Acadian Peninsula, St. Mary’s Bay, Manitoba, the US Midwest, Michigan (especially the Keweenaw Peninsula), Minnesota and Washington will be included in the study.

Dr. Frenette said Louisiana will not be part of this study because it is another “migratory dynamic” and as a slave society, it requires a different research expertise.

Members of the public will be invited to share with the researchers letters and other family documents about their ancestors who migrated to the US.

By the end of September, an interactive website will be available to allow people to follow the progress of the research.

The project will lead to scientific publications and will culminate in the creation of a bilingual virtual exhibition.

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12 Responses to Over $4.5 million for research on Francophone migrations

  1. Daphne Hamel Jones says:

    This is very interesting. I have French ancestors that settled in Labrador. I would love to find out how they ended up on the coast of Labrador, and where they originally came from. My father said his Grandfather or Great-Grandfather spoke French, surname is Hamel.

  2. Linda Cormier Tourigny says:

    Our relatives came further east to Saskatchewan. Surnames are Cormier, Dureault, Chabot, Fournier, Tourigny, St. Cyr. They all settled in areas with other French Canadiens. What a shock it must have been to see the bald prairies in Southern Saskatchewan and the hardships they endured to survive and prosper as they did.

  3. Marlene kirk says:

    my Family not very much info. Foye dit Faille St Boniface Xavier to Alberta. Married into Beauregard family. gery little info there also.

  4. Denise Porter nee Gauthier says:

    I am a combo of Métis/French Canadian of the St Lawrence/ Acadia descendant. I’d be very interested in the results of this project. Not sure I have much to offer but I do have genetic results and some genealogy.

  5. Bernice wilson née Houle or earlier Houde says:

    My ancestor came from France in the 1600 to new france . He married a young woman and had 14 children one of these sons are my direct ancestor. One of these sons left and went to Rupert s land where he had children with a Cree woman. Hence my being Metis. I have my genioligy and have located my cousins in Quebec from the same son. I know there is a plaque marking my great ggg grandfather as one of the founding families of Quebec.

    • Bernice Wilson says:

      I am some what curious as to how this research will be done. By word of mouth, tracking movement of travelers some how. I and my cousin have a lot of info regarding the movements of our ancestor thru Canada. funny as well my mothers side came to New France about the same time from Belgium and also traveled to Ruperts Land. I am interested in your findings so will keep in touch here.

  6. Tereasa says:

    where these programs can be challenging is that each group they’re speaking about do have common ancestry if they are of French descent – but they should be very specific that it’s French-Metis only they are looking at. Also are they talking about self determination of these peoples? So an Acadian are very proud of their culture and self determinism – they own that. Will the researchers take that into consideration or are they just lumping everyone into the same pile? I’d like to see the rationale for their approach.

  7. Monique d'Auteuil says:

    I’m a Ruette-d’Auteuil (originating from Paris) on my father’s side and Michaud originating from Poitou, France on my mother’s side. They both were Quebecois. My parents immigrated to the USA in 1946. But my earlier ancestors seemed to cross the canadian border more fluidly in earlier times, for employment. I have done my DNA. How can I contribute to this wonderful study???

  8. Brian Ross Ashley says:

    My Ashley family are descendants of the Desrosiers dit Lafreniere, old settlers in Berthier and Ile Dupas. Gggrandfather Zephirain seems to have found work in Maine, brought his family down and called himself John Ashley.

  9. Yvonne Skura says:

    I am very interested in finding out more about the Baillargeon family from Grafton, North Dakota. Also the Aubert family from PQ, grand-parents on my mother’s side.
    Our family has some information on Pierre Clement LaRiviere who came to Canada from Tarascon region in France.

  10. Robert Fortier says:

    Gail – “By the end of September, an interactive website will be available to allow people to follow the progress of the research.” Is there a link available to access the interactive website?

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