Thanks so much for your reply, Avis. Somewhere on-line I saw a list of Acadian names related to the deportation, on which Prejean was prominent and Pregeant was missing. I have also found Pregeants (and I think also Prejeans) currently in Canada. In France, there are many similar names--Prejan, Prejeant, etc., and somewhere I have run across Preshong as an equivalent. Very puzzling, but also very interesting. Please do let me know if you come up with anything. I haven't been involved in genealogical research myself, but a cousin in Louisiana has (I'm an expatriate in Massachusetts), and I have it on my agenda to get a copy of the work he's done. Thanks Again.