There’s an exciting thrill that comes from opening a digitized parish register and spotting the name of an ancestor tucked among the looping lines of a French-Canadian baptism record. That moment when you think, "That's them!" is priceless.
But if you’re not fluent in French, the joy can quickly be followed by a wave of "now what?" The script looks intimidating. The words seem familiar, but not quite. You might know a little bit of French, but you really don't understand what the priest was writing. The structure of the record differs from what you’re used to in English records. Where do you even begin?
Today, I’m going to walk you step-by-step through a French-Canadian baptism record from 1898 and show you exactly how to break it down, translate each section, and uncover the genealogical clues hidden inside.
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Baptism record for Anne Évangéline Langlois, 1898, Ancestry®. |
Understanding the Layout of a French-Canadian Baptism Record
In our example, the margin reads: Bapt. 73e Anne Évangéline Langlois.
In our example, the margin reads: Bapt. 73e Anne Évangéline Langlois.
Baptism entries in Catholic parish registers tend to follow a fairly standard format, which is a huge help when you’re learning to read them.
You’ll typically see:
- Left margin: The entry number, the name of the child, and sometimes the record type.
- Main body: The date of baptism, the priest’s declaration, the child’s details, the parents’ names, and the names of the godparents.
- Signature area: The priest and sometimes the witnesses.
Step 1: Translating the Date
French:
Le vingt un Septembre mil huit cent quatre vingt dix huit
English:
The twenty-first of September, 1898
Tip: In French, numbers are often written out in full, and older records may not use modern hyphenation.
Step 2: Spotting the Priest's Formula
French:par nous prêtre soussigné a été baptisée
English:
by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized
Tip: Recognizing these formula phrases speeds up your translation. They rarely vary much.
Step 3: The Name of the Child
French:
Anne Évangéline (margin: Langlois)
English:
Anne Évangéline Langlois
Tip: The surname often appears only in the margin; compound given names are part of the full legal name.
Step 4: Parentage
French:
née ce matin du légitime mariage de Alfred Langlois et de Milina Seguin
English:
born this morning of the legitimate marriage of Alfred Langlois and Milina Seguin
Tip: The legitimacy phrase confirms the parents were married. This is a clue to find their marriage record.
Step 5: Godparents
French:
Le parrain a été Richard Berthiaume, la marraine Eliza St-Antoine
English:
The godfather was Richard Berthiaume, the godmother Eliza St-Antoine
Tip: Godparents were often relatives; tracing them can uncover extended family connections.
Step 6: The Signature
French:
H. Lemay
English:
Signature of the priest
Tip: Sometimes the godparents sign, but here only the priest’s signature appears.
Putting It All Together
On the twenty-first of September, eighteen ninety-eight, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Anne Évangéline, born this morning of the legitimate marriage of Alfred Langlois and Milina Seguin. The godfather was Richard Berthiaume, the godmother, Eliza St-Antoine.
On the twenty-first of September, eighteen ninety-eight, by us, the undersigned priest, was baptized Anne Évangéline, born this morning of the legitimate marriage of Alfred Langlois and Milina Seguin. The godfather was Richard Berthiaume, the godmother, Eliza St-Antoine.
Where to Go from Here
With this information, you can:
Tips for Writing Your Translations
- Locate the marriage record of Alfred Langlois and Milina Seguin
- Search the 1901 Canadian census for the Langlois family
- Investigate Richard Berthiaume and Eliza St-Antoine for possible family links
- Look for civil registrations or notarial records connected to the family
Tips for Writing Your Translations
- Start with the structure. Learn where each type of detail usually appears.
- Master the formulas. Common phrases are repeated across years and parishes.
- Tackle the date first; it anchors your record in time.
- Watch for legitimacy wording, it can lead you to other records.
- Don’t skip the godparents; they’re often a key to extended family.
- Use a guide. A good translation guide saves hours of frustration.
Your Go-To Resource
If this step-by-step breakdown has you feeling more confident about tackling French-Canadian records, you’ll love my French-Canadian Translation Guide Bundle.
If this step-by-step breakdown has you feeling more confident about tackling French-Canadian records, you’ll love my French-Canadian Translation Guide Bundle.
It’s designed for both beginners and intermediate researchers, with:
- Full-page translation tables for baptism, marriage, burial, civil, census, and notarial records
- Paleography tips and transcription advice
- Abbreviation and Latin phrase reference
- Worksheets and checklists to help you work through your French-Canadian records
Get your copy at my online store here.
If you want to take a deeper dive into French-Canadian translations, join me for my free webinar on Tuesday, August 19. Click here for more information and registration details.
Author’s Note: I want to be transparent that this article “How to Translate a French-Canadian Baptism Record Step-by-Step” was created partly with the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) language model, ChatGPT 4.0. The AI helped generate an early draft of the article; however, every paragraph has been reviewed, edited, and refined by me. The final version reflects my human ability, curation, and creativity. While I used AI as a tool in the process, the ideas, story, style, and substance were carefully crafted by the author.
