I wonder how many families have French ancestry, but are unaware due to changes in spelling of surnames?

Question

Example for changes in surname spelling. Tavener, Tavernier,Taverner.

Comments

A friend learned that  a Maine LaForge Family Had change their name to Smith!

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Forgeron is French for blacksmith. "La forge" is the blacksmith's workshop.

Answer 1

Still Scottish, but Beattie, Beatty, Beaty (and Baty, for SJ).

And, while I’m here, a big WELCOME to you, Stephen!

Answer 2

I have sort of the reverse problem. I have a 3xg-grandmother that supposedly came from France. However, her name doesn't strike me as very French, and there is conflicting information in the records. It's one of my family brick walls.

Comments

Eric if she came from Alsace or Lorraine those surnames can be Germanic sounding.  Some parts of Southern France has roots coming from the Mediterranean .

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Her name is (supposedly) Olive Still:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Still-474

You can see my notes and sources there.

Thoughts?

Answer 3

My Quebecois ancestors went from Ethier to Hickey when they went into the US. Took me months to figure that one out!

Answer 4

My great grandmother was a Murray.  It took quite a while to find out that her ancestors came from Quebec (and France before that) and spelled the name Morier.

Answer 5

According to historians, one million French Canadians emigrated to the United States during the nineteenth century.

It's interesting to find their families and see how the names have changed over time.

Comments

Julie Petit became Julia Little

Jeanne Lajeunesse became Jane Young