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French Canadian surnames

French Canadian surnames

Posted: 19 Jun 2002 8:55PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 3 Jan 2005 2:42AM GMT
Surnames: Gadbois, Gadbaw, Gadbaugh, Gadbow, Vandandaique surnames
Suggest that those of you who bear the Gadbaw surname also look for ancestors using other spellings since the adopted spelling may have depended on record keepers in various localities. It appears that Joseph Vandandaique (Vandendaique, Vandandaigue, Etc.) born in Belgium 1653 introduced the name problem into Canada. French commonly use dits (other names) to help identify families and the dits associated with Vandandaique include Gadbois, Gatebois, having to do with carpenters or wood workers, and the spelling variations that occured trying to write French names once they got to America. My line of Gadbois settled for a time in Indian Lands in Canada just above New York State and entered New York in the Racket-River area of St. Lawrence Co. probably by 1825. My Gadbois connection married a St. Peter in Franklin Co., NY and their St. Peter family moved in mid-1800s to Minnesota.
On the internet, there is a Gadbaw Family tree: Index of Individuals listing some 180 or so Gadbaw names, 16 Gadbaugh and about 55 Gadbois with links taking you to family groups that may help some: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/a/d/Coleman-Gad...
If you have a nearby Family History Center, they should have in their collection Tanguay's Dictionnaire of French Canadians on microfiche mostly early 1600's - mid 1700's. Several compendiums to his dictionnaire correcting entries or adding to by Lebeouf are available by microfilm order. Also available are similar dictionnaires by Jette or Drouin that can be ordered in. Several useful marriage records, Rivest and Loiselle, include information on when and where marriages took place and names of parents of both bride and groom. Altho most limited to records from Quebec, there are some for people married elsewhere. Again the dit problem sometimes interferes. I know a lady whose lineage on both sides goes back to Quebec who in some families had to check a dozen dits. Persistence helps with the French-Canadian search, and I am still trying to find the Indian (presumably native of Canada) in my lineage.

Re: French Canadian surnames

Posted: 31 Oct 2002 3:21PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks for all the information Ray. I'm sure that I could glean a lot of useful data from it if I could view it. Do you have your family tree on line? Thanks again, Bob Gadbois

Re: French Canadian surnames

Laurie (View posts)
Posted: 9 Jan 2003 5:50AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Gadbaw, Gadbois, Gadbow, Vandandaique
Your query on French Canadian surnames caught my eye due to the fact of the same story being handed down thru the generations of Native American blood in the family. One of my relatives has stated that her grandfather told her that their was Cherokee Indian in our lines. My grandmother has also confirmed the Indian roots. She dosen't know what tribe. Also, my ancestors were Gadbaw. Frank Gadbaw was born about 1832 in NY and had three known children: William born 1858 in Odgensburg, NY; Fannie born aprox 1859 and Elizabeth born aprox 1860. They are listed in NY in St. Lawrence Co. in the 1860 census. Can't find them in the 1870 census. In 1880 the children are listed as step children in Timothy and Laura Clemence household in St. Lawerence Co., NY. (There was a brother Lucus with wife Catherine and children also living in the same house in 1860.) My guess is that they are brothers. Does this sound like it might be part of your family? Any clues would help also. Was this the first time the Gadbaw name appeared in Canada?
Laurie Walseman
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