Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ

(b. abt. 1650 , France d. 6 November 1688 , Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Canada, New France )

Am I Your Ancestor?
GREFFARD dit LECOQ Family Tree – Connecting the Past to the Present!

What started out as our family is now your’s too!

Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ was born abt. 1650 in France

Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ was the child of ? and ?

Louis was an immigrant to Canada, arriving by 1684.

Immigration to New France: Shaping the Roots of Canada

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Louis married Louise GAUTHIER 10 April 1684 in Sainte-Famille-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Canada, New France . The couple had (at least) 2 children.
Louise GAUTHIER was born 20 December 1668 in Sainte-Famille-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Québec, Canada. Louise died 20 June 1743 in Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Québec, Canada (Saint-Jean). Louise was the child of Joseph-Elie GAUTHIER and Marguerite-Marie MOITIE.

Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ died 6 November 1688 in Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Canada, New France .

son of Louis Greffard and Louise Roy

Details of the family tree of Louis appear below.

Occupation

Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ was a habitant.

Québec Généalogie - Over time, Québec has gone through a series of name changes
From its inception in the early 1600s until 1760, it was called Canada, New France.
1760 to 1763, it was simply Canada
1763 to 1791 - Province of Québec
1791 to 1867 - Lower Canada
1867 to present - Québec, Canada.

Thanks to Micheline Gadbois MacDonald for providing this information.

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)

Québec Généalogie - The Seigneurial System (1627 - 1854)
The seigneurial system was a form of land settlement modeled on the French feudal system. It began in New France in 1627 with the formation of the Compagnie des Cent-Associés (or Company of 100 Associates), which was initially responsible for handing out land grants and seigneurial rights. The land was divided into five by 15 kilometer plots, usually along major rivers like the St. Lawrence. They were then further subdivided into narrow, but long lots for settlement. These lots were usually long enough to be suitable for faming, and they provided everyone who lived on them with equal access to neighbouring farms and the river. There were three main groups of people who lived off the land in this system: Seigneurs, Habitants and Engagés

Louis GREFFARD dit LECOQ was a habitant.
Habitants were usually farmers or labourers who were initially brought over from France to live on this land. They had to pay rent and taxes to the seigneur, though they co-owned the land with the seigneur, and even had to work entirely for the benefit of the seigneur a few days each year.

Source: Canada in the Making (www.canadiana.ca/citm/index_e.html)

Habitants played an essential role in creating a permanent, settled population along the St. Lawrence River. But it was not an easy life...

Habitants had to clear the land, build a homestead, and plant and harvest a crop. The first task was never-ending, while the last one was annual. Building and repairing the house and barn were continual tasks. So were cutting and hauling firewood. The habitants had to be largely self-reliant in looking after all routine tasks such as cooking, baking, making furniture, and repairing tools. They had to attend to the educational and medical needs of the family. They had to endure the harsh physical climate and rough terrain, largely unaided by government support. The habitants had to pay taxes to the seigneurs and the church.

Canada: The Story of Our Heritage by Elspeth Deir, John Fielding, Nick Brune, Peter Grant, Stephanie Smith Abram; McGraw-Hill Ryerson School, 2000