New Brunswick Language and Languages

In 1969, New Brunswick became the first province in Canada to constitutionally make both English and French their official languages. When writing to New Brunswick for information they should have someone available who speaks either English or French or both. Some materials used in French Canadian research are written in French. However, you do not need to speak or read French to do research. You just need to know some key numbers, words, and phrases to understand the French Canadian records. French grammar and customs may affect the way names appear in genealogical records. For example, the names of your ancestor may vary from record to record in French. For help in understanding name variations, see New Brunswick Names, Personal. You may find other languages in the records of New Brunswick. These include English and Latin. Latin is sometimes found in very early Roman Catholic parish registers. English was often used in the eastern townships.

Language Aids:
The FamilySearch Library has published a French Word List and a Latin Word List. The lists contain words often found in genealogical research with their English translation.

The following books and English-French dictionaries can also help you in your research. You can find these and similar materials at many research libraries:

FRENCH RECORDS EXTRACTION MANUAL: Shows examples of French civil records, parish records, and handwriting. Has list of personal names and translations of common words used in the records.

New Cassell's French Dictionary: French-English, English-French. New York, NY, USA: Funk &amp; Wagnalls, 1970. (FamilySearch Library .)

Boudreau, Dennis M. Beginning Franco-American Genealogy. Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA: American-French Genealogical Society, 1986. (FamilySearch Library .)

Additional language aids are listed in the Locality Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under FRANCE - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES or in the Subject Search under FRENCH LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES.

Key Words:
With a knowledge of the basic words, most English-speaking persons can read many of the French Canadian records used for genealogical research. These are some of the most common words and abbreviations in French Canadian church records, vital records, and genealogical collections:

French-English Translation


à in, at, to acte record an year année year au New Brunswick in, to the province of New Brunswick b baptized, christened baptême baptism, christening baptisé baptized, christened (masculine) baptisée baptized, christened (feminine) de of, from du New Brunswick of the province of New Brunswick def. deceased deft deceased défunt deceased (masculine) défunte deceased (feminine) enfant child épouse wife époux husband et and femme wife feu(e) late, deceased fille daughter fils son illégitime illegitimate inconnu(e) unknown, surname not known m marriage mari husband mariage marriage marié husband marieé wife mois month n born naissance birth né born (masculine) née born (feminine) père father répertoire index s burial Saint Saint (masculine) Sainte Saint (feminine) sépulture burial St Saint (masculine) Ste Saint (feminine) ve widow veuf widower veuve widow vf widower vve widow