French Genealogical Word List

Genealogical Word List French

This list contains French words with their English translations. The words included here are those you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a French-English dictionary. (See the "Additional Resources" section below.)

The French language is a Romance language derived from Latin. Although English is a Germanic language, it has many words of Latin and French derivation. Thus, many French words are similar to words in English but often have different meanings.

French is spoken in France; Quebec and other areas of Canada; Luxembourg; southern Belgium; southwestern Switzerland; northern and central Africa; some islands in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Caribbean Sea; southeast Asia; and other areas formerly colonized or influenced by the French. Between about 1800 and 1812, French was also used in records of the Rhineland area of Germany, northern Belgium, and the Netherlands. In addition, French is found in some early records of Louisiana and a few other places in the United States. Since about 1680, the grammar, if not the spelling, of official written French has been fairly well standardized throughout the world, even though there are many different forms of spoken French.

Language Characteristics
French words for persons, places, and things (nouns) are classified as masculine or feminine. Generally, adjectives used to describe feminine words end with e.

"Le" (masculine form of "the") is used with masculine words. "La" (feminine form of "the") is used with feminine words. But "l’" is used with either if the word begins with a vowel. For example, the word "enfant" means "child" or "infant," either masculine or feminine. But "l’enfant est né" ("the child is born") is used with a male child, and "l’enfant est née" with a female child.

Variant Forms of Words In French, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who/whose/whom or marry/marries/married are examples of words in English with variant forms. This word list gives the standard form of each French word. As you read French records, you will need to be aware that some words vary with usage.

Plural forms of French words are usually created by adding -s or -x to the singular word. Thus "frère" becomes "frères," and "beau" becomes "beaux." The plural of "beau-frère" ("brother-in-law") is "beaux-frères" ("brothers-in-law").

In French there are five diacritical (accent) marks. These are placed over vowels or under the letter -c- to indicate a change in pronunciation. The following diacritical marks are used in French: à, â, é, è, ê, ë, î, ï, ô, ö, û, ù and ç. The -ç- is pronounced as an -s-. These diacritical marks do not affect alphabetical order.

Spelling Spelling rules were not fixed in earlier centuries. In French the following spelling variations are common:

Variation Example
-bv- used for -v-: "février" spelled "febvrier" -c- used for -ss-: "aussi" spelled "auci" -ct- used for -t-: "faites" spelled "faictes" -es- used for -é-: "témoins" spelled "tesmoins" -i- used for -j-: "jour" spelled "iour" -o- used for -ou-: "tournier" spelled "tornier" -os- used for -ô-: "nôtre" spelled "nostre" -sç- used for -s-: "savoir" spelled "sçavoir" -t- used for -tt-: "cette" spelled "cete" -y- used for -i-: "hier" spelled "hyer" -y- used for -ill-: "filleul" spelled "fyeul" -z- used for -s-: "baptisé" spelled "baptizé"

Return to Top of Page

Additional French Language Resources
This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, consult a French-English dictionary. You can obtain a French-English dictionary at most public libraries and through many bookstores.

Several French-English dictionaries are available at the Family History Library. These are in the European collection. Their call numbers begin with.

The following dictionary is available on microfilm for use in Family History Centers:

A. Spiers. The Standard Pronouncing Dictionary of the French and English Languages. New York, NY, USA: Appleton, 1900. (Family History Library book, film item 4.)

Additional dictionaries are listed in the Subject search of the FamilySearch Catalog under FRENCH LANGUAGE—DICTIONARIES.

A helpful guide for reading genealogical records written in French is:

French Records Extraction. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, n.d. (Family History Library fiche .) In addition to being a glossary of names and genealogical words, this guide includes examples of French documents and instructions in reading the handwriting.

Key Words
To find and use specific types of French records, you will need to know some key words in French. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the French words with the same or similar meanings.

For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find French words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined, and other words used in French records to indicate marriage.

English-French banns=publications bans baptism=baptême birth=naissance, né, née burial=sépulture, enterrement, enterré, inhumé, enseveli, funèbre Catholic (Roman)=catholique romaine child=enfant christening=baptême civil registry= registres de l’état civil, mairie, maison communale, hôtel de ville death=décès, mort, expiré, inanimé, défunt father=père

husband=mari, époux, marié index=index, tables répertoire Jewish=juif, juive, israélite, hébreu marriage=mariage, alliance, unir, épouser month=mois, mensuel mother=mère name, given=prénom, nom de baptême name, surname=nom, nom de famille parents=parents, père et mère parish=paroisse, paroissiaux, paroissiale Protestant=protestant, réformé, huguenot, R.P.R., luthérien, calviniste town, village=ville, village, hameau, commune wife=femme, épouse, mariée year=an, année, annuel

Return to Top of Page

General Word List
This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, and days of the week are listed both here and in separate sections that follow this list. Words with the same spelling and meaning in English and French, such as "confirmation" or "date," are not included in this list.

In this list, optional versions of French words or variable endings are given in parentheses. A few phrases are listed under the key word, not necessarily the first word. Words in parentheses in the English column clarify the definition. Feminine or masculine meanings of French words are indicated by (f.) or (m.).

Return to Top of Page

A
Return to Top of Page

B
Return to Top of Page

C
Return to Top of Page

D
Return to Top of Page

E
Return to Top of Page

F
Return to Top of Page

G
Return to Top of Page

H
Return to Top of Page

I
Return to Top of Page

J
Return to Top of Page

K
Return to Top of Page

L
Return to Top of Page

M
Return to Top of Page

N
naissance=birth naturel=illegitimate (not always true) né(e)=born née=maiden name négociant=trader, businessman neuf=nine neuvième=ninth neveu=nephew ni=neither, nor nièce=niece nivôse=See “Months” noble=nobleman noblesse=nobility noces=wedding noir(e)=black nom=name, surname nom=de famille surname, last name nommé(e)=named, alias non=not nonante=ninety nonantième=ninetieth nord=north norman(de)=Norman notaire=notary notes=remarks nôtre (nostre)=our nous=we, us nouveau, nouvelle=new novembre=November noyé(e)=drowned nuit=night numéro=number nuptial(e)=bridal, pertaining to a wedding

Return to Top of Page

O
obsèques=funeral, burial octante=eighty octantième=eightieth octobre=October oncle=uncle ondoyé(e)=baptized provisionally ont=(they) have onze=eleven onzième=eleventh orphelin(e)=orphan ou=or où=where ouest=west

Return to Top of Page

P
Palatinat=Palatinate, Pfalz par=by pareil(le)=same, alike, similar parent=parent, relative paroisse=parish (office) parrain=godfather part=portion, part [d’une part]=[on the one hand] [et d’autre part]=[and on the other hand] pas=not pas encore=not yet passé=past pasteur=pastor pâtissier=pastry maker pâtre=herdsman pauvre=indigent, poor pays=land, country paysan(ne)=small farmer, peasant pêcheur=fisher peintre=painter penultième=day before the last percer des dents=teething père=father petit=small, little petite-fille=granddaughter petite=noblesse gentry petit-fils=grandson petit propriétaire=yeoman peuple=citizens peut-être=maybe, perhaps pharmacien=pharmacist pièces=documents pied terrier=land record place=place plus, en=besides, in addition to plus=âgé(e) older, elder, oldest, eldest plus=vieux older, elder, oldest, eldest pluviôse=See “Months” policier=policeman pont=bridge population=population porte=door portugais(e)=Portuguese poser=place, put pour=for pourquoi=why prairial=See “Months” précédent(e)=previous, preceding préfet=prefect (the head of a département in France) premier, première=first prénom=given (first) name près=de next to présenté=presented prêtre=clergyman, priest preuve=proof principalité=principality prochain(e)=following, next, nearest proche=parent close relative professeur=professor, teacher propos de, à=about, concerning propriétaire=owner, proprietor protestant=Protestant provincial(e)=provincial prussien(ne)=Prussian publié=published, announced publier=publish

Return to Top of Page

Q
quand=when quarante=forty quarantième=fortieth quartier=district or neighborhood in a city quatorze=fourteen quatorzième=fourteenth quatre=four quatre-vingt-dix=ninety quatre-vingt-dixième=ninetieth quatre-vingt=eighty quatre-vingtième=eightieth quatrième=fourth que (qu’)=what, which, that qui=who, whom quinze=fifteen quinzième=fifteenth quoi=what

Return to Top of Page

R
recensement=census recherche=research reconnu=recognized, acknowledged reçu(e)=received réformé(e)=Reformed/Calvinist régisseur=farm manager, steward registre=register registres d’état civil=registers of births, civil marriages, and deaths registres paroissiaux=parish registers reine=queen religion=religion religion prétendue réformé (R.P.R.)=Reformed Church, Huguenot rentier(e)=retired person living from rents, landlord répertoire=register, index répertoire toponymique=gazetteer République Française=French Republic retraité=formerly employed, retired revue=periodical rien=nothing rivière=stream, river roi (roy)=king rouge=red rougeole=measles royaume=kingdom rue=street russe=Russian

Return to Top of Page

S
sa=his, her, its sabotier=wooden-shoe maker sacristain=sacristan, sexton sage-femme=midwife saignement=bleeding sain=sane, healthy saints sacrements (d'absolution)=last rites samedi=Saturday sans=without sans vie=without life, lifeless savoir=to know, namely savonnier=soap merchant, soapmaker saxon=Saxon scarlatine=scarlet fever sceau=seal scieur=sawyer Seigneur=the Lord seize=sixteen seizième=sixteenth selon=according to semaine=week sénilité=old age sept=seven septante=seventy septantième=seventieth septembre=September septième=seventh sépulture=burial seront=(they) will be serrurier=locksmith servante=maid, servant girl ses=his, her, its seul(e)=single, alone seulement=only sexe=sex siècle=century signature=signature signé=signed six=six sixième=sixth société=society soeur=sister soeur consanguine=sister by the same father but different mother soeur germaine=sister by the same mother and father soeur utérine=sister by the same mother but different father soir=(soirée) evening soixante=sixty soixante-dix=seventy soixante-dixième=seventieth soixantième=sixtieth soldat=soldier son=his, her, its sont=are sous=under, low soussigné=the undersigned souvent=often statut légal=status, condition statut personnel=status, condition sud=south suisse=Swiss suivant(e)=next, following, according to supérieur(e)=upper sur=on, above, upon, at surlendemain=two days later survivant=surviving sus-dit=aforementioned susnommé=aforementioned

Return to Top of Page

T
table=index tables décennales=ten-year indexes tailleur=cloth maker, draper tailleur de pierre=stonecutter tailleur=d’habits tailor tanneur=tanner tant=as, so much tante=aunt tantôt=afternoon tavernier=tavern owner teinturier=dyer témoin=witness temps=time tenir un enfant sur les fonts=to act as godfather or godmother to a child terre=earth, land terres=estate testament=last will thermidor=See “Months” tisserand=weaver tisserand de lin=linen weaver tisseur=weaver tome=volume tonnelier=cooper tôt=early (a.m.) toujours=always tournier=turner, woodworker tous=all tous=les deux both toux=cough travailleur=worker, laborer travers, à=through, across treize=thirteen treizième=thirteenth trente=thirty trente-et-un=thirty-one trente-et-unième=thirty-first trentième=thirtieth tribunal=court trois=three troisième=third tuilier=tile maker tumeurv=tumor tuteur=guardian

Return to Top of Page

U
un, une=a, an, one unième=first unis en mariage=united in marriage

Return to Top of Page

V
valet=servant vallée=valley varie=various variole=smallpox veille=previous evening or day vendémiaire=See “Months” vendeur=seller, salesman vendeuse=seller, saleslady vendredi=Friday ventôse=See “Months” vérole=venereal disease, syphilis vérole, petite=smallpox verrier=glassmaker vers=toward vert=green veuf=widowed, widower veuve=widowed, widow vie=life vieillesse=old age vierge=virgin, unmarried woman vieux=(vielle) old vieux=garçon bachelor vigneron=grape grower village=hamlet, village ville=village or town, city vingt=twenty vingt-cinq=twenty-five vingt-cinquième=twenty-fifth vingt-deux=twenty-two vingt-deuxième=twenty-second vingt-et-un=twenty-one vingt-et-unième=twenty-first vingt-huit=twenty-eight vingt-huitième=twenty-eighth vingtième=twentieth vingt-neuf=twenty-nine vingt-neuvième=twenty-ninth vingt-quatre=twenty-four vingt-quatrième=twenty-fourth vingt-sept=twenty-seven vingt-septième=twenty-seventh vingt-six=twenty-six vingt-sixième=twenty-sixth vingt-trois=twenty-three vingt-troisième=twenty-third vivant=living, lifetime vivant, de son=during his (her) life vivre=to live voir=see voisin(e)=neighbor vouloir=to wish, to want

Return to Top of Page

Numbers
In some genealogical sources, numbers are written out. This is especially true with dates. The following list gives the cardinal (1, 2, 3) and the ordinal (1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. Dates are usually written in ordinal form. Ordinal numbers are made by adding ième to the cardinal form of a number. If the number ends in an e, drop the e before adding ième.

From 60 to 99, the French count by twenties rather than by tens. Thus, 70 in French is sixty-ten, and 71 is sixty-eleven. The number 80 is four-twentie; 81 is four-twenties-one; 91 is four-twenties-eleven; and so on through 99, which is four-twenties-nineteen. In some areas, however, you will see the older style of 70 (septante), 80 (octante or huitante), and 90 (nonante).

Cardinal; Ordinal 1 un; 1st premier 2 deux; 2nd deuxième 3 trois; 3rd troisième 4 quatre; 4th quatrième 5 cinq; 5th cinquième 6 six; 6th sixième 7 sept; 7th septième 8 huit; 8th huitième 9 neuf; 9th neuvième 10 dix; 10th dixième 11 onze; 11th onzième 12 douze; 12th douzième 13 treize; 13th treizième 14 quatorze; 14th quatorzième 15 quinze; 15th quinzième 16 seize; 16th seizième 17 dix-sept; 17th dix-septième 18 dix-huit; 18th dix-huitième 19 dix-neuf; 19th dix-neuvième 20 vingt; 20th vingtième 21 vingt-et-un; 21st vingt-et-unième 22 vingt-deux; 22nd vingt-deuxième 23 vingt-trois; 23rd vingt-troisième 24 vingt-quatre; 24th vingt-quatrième 25 vingt-cinq; 25th vingt-cinquième 26 vingt-six; 26th vingt-sixième 27 vingt-sept; 27th vingt-septième 28 vingt-huit; 28th vingt-huitième 29 vingt-neuf; 29th vingt-neuvième 30 trente; 30th trentième 31 trente-et-un; 31st trente-et-unième 40 quarante; 40th quarantième 50 cinquante; 50th cinquantième 60 soixante; 60th soixantième 70 soixante-dix, septante; 70th soixante-dixième, septantième 71 soixante-onze, septante-un; 71st soixante-onzième, septante-et-unième 80 quatre-vingt(s), octante, huitante; 80th quatre-vingtième, octantième, huitantième 90 quatre-vingt-dix, nonante; 90th quatre-vingt-dixième, nonantième 99 quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, nonante-neuf; 99th quatre-vingt-dix-neuvième, nonante-neuvième 100 cent; 100th centième 1000 mil, mille; 1000th millième

Return to Top of Page

Dates and Time
In French records, dates are often written out. For example:

Le vingt-trois mars mil sept cent soixante dix-neuf [on the twenty-third day of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred sixty and nineteen (1779)]

To understand French dates, use the following lists as well as the preceding “Numbers” section.

Return to Top of Page

Months
English-French January=janvier February=février March=mars April=avril May=mai June=juin July=juillet August=août September=septembre, 7bre October=octobre, 8bre November=novembre, 9bre December=décembre, 10bre, Xbre

During the years 1792 to 1806, the French used a unique calendar that related to the founding of the French Republic. It included the following months:

vendémiaire brumaire frimaire nivôse pluviôse ventôse germinal floréal prairial messidor thermidor fructidor

These month names cannot be translated because they do not correspond to the months we know as January to December. See the French Republican Calendar.

Return to Top of Page

Days of the Week
English-French Sunday=dimanche Monday=lundi Tuesday=mardi Wednesday=mercredi Thursday=jeudi Friday=vendredi Saturday=samedi

Return to Top of Page

Times of the Day
In French birth and death records, the registrar often indicated the exact time of day when the birth or death occurred. This is usually written out.

French-English à cinq heures=at 5 o’clock au matin=in the morning au soir=in the evening après-demain=the day after tomorrow après-midi=afternoon avant-veille=two days before avant-hier=day before yesterday demain=tomorrow du matin=in the morning, a.m. du soir=in the evening, p.m. heure=hour hier=yesterday hier soir=yesterday evening hier au soir=yesterday evening jour=day lendemain=next day matin=morning midi=noon minuit=midnight nuit=night soir=evening surlendemain=two days later veille=previous evening

France French Genealogical Word List France Paper publication: Second edition 1997. English approval: 4/97.

Return to Top of Page