François  CIRCÉ dit ST-MICHEL

Québec Généalogie - What is a 'dit/dite' name?  When the first settlers came to Québec from France it was a custom to add a 'dit' nickname to the surname. The English translation of 'dit' is 'said'. The Colonists of Nouvelle France added 'dit' names as distinguishers. A settler might have wanted to differentiate their family from their siblings by taking a 'dit' name that described the locale to which they had relocated. The acquiring of a 'dit' name might also be the result of a casual adoption, whereby the person wanted to honor the family who had raised them. Another reason was also to distinguish themselves by taking as a 'dit' name the town or village in France from which they originated. This custom ended around 1900 when people began using only one name, either the 'dit' nickname or their original surname.

Source: American-French Genealogical Society, Woonsocket, Rhode Island (www.afgs.org/ditnames/index1.html)

François was a Chirurgien et Soldat.
In France, from the 13th century until the year 1743, surgeons and barbers were united under the same guild. During this time, surgery was rarely performed by physicians, who considered themselves to be above surgery... barber-surgeons were called upon for numerous tasks ranging from cutting hair to amputating limbs to bloodletting with leeches.
Source: tfcq.ca

A Surgeon's Tale: Navigating the Operating Theaters of 18th Century New France