French

Most of the early French colonists to the Americas, who began arriving in large numbers in the 17th century, settled in Quebec and Nova Scotia, to the north of the original colonies, or in French-held territories in the Caribbean, far to the south. In addition, however, some French settled in Louisiana and the in the Midwest. Although the United States acquired this land from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, French culture has retained its influence in the southern part of Louisiana. Since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, French immigration to the United States has been extremely small, with fewer than 5,000 French per year opting to move to the U.S.

Contacts and Sources

American-French Genealogical Society
78 Earle St.
Woonsocket, RI 02895
Telephone: (401) 765-6141
E-mail: afgs@ids.net
Web site: http://ids.net/~afgs/afgshome.html
Publication: Je me souviens

French-Canadian Heritage Society, Detroit Chapter
1056 Balfour Road
Grosse Point, MI 48230

La SociŽtŽ de Cajuns
108 East 155th Street
Galliano, LA 70354

Web Sites

In Helpful Web Sites, you can find links to useful resources about France.

Books

• In Search of Your European Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe, by Angus Baxter
• France in America, by W.J. Eccles
• The French in America, by James S. Pula, from Vol. 20 of the Ethnic Chronology Studies

For some tips on researching abroad, see the topic All about international resources.

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