Introduction

Most of us are familiar with the story of the King's Daughters or Filles du roi; the state sponsored program that brought almost 800 single women to Quebec in the early days of the French settlement, but what is not so well known is the story of the filles à marier. Between 1634 and 1662; 262 young ladies braved the elements to begin an uncertain future in the backwoods of Canada.

When the Company of 100 Associates began their settlement scheme, their plan of recruiting only families proved to be too costly, so instead they signed on single men; tradesman and labourers; who would be indentured for three years. However, this meant that more than 80% of the colonists were men, so even if they decided to stay at the end of their term, there was little hope of them starting a family, unless they chose a Canadian girl. But, since her family would never allow her, or her children, to leave their village; the company directors needed to avoid this from happening.

So instead, they began recruiting "marriagable young girls", who would first sign a contract in France and then be given passage and a small dowry to become the wife of a Quebec settler. You might wonder why these young girls (many under 16), would risk the dangers and hardships, which by now most of France were well aware of; but believe it or not; for many it was the best option.

At the time, marriages were arranged, so if the girl's family did not have the means to provide a sutable dowry, her only option was to become a nun, if she was Catholic; or marry beneath her station. In the case of the young Filles a Marier, though a marriage contract must be signed before departure, she had every right to refuse the union, once she met her husband-to-be. As a matter of fact, many of them did just that, and were provided safe passage home.

Below is a list of all the women brought over under this plan. Some were sponsored by their church, a company associate or merchant. Others were of minor noble families; cousins or sisters of men already in the colony. Marguerite Bourgeoys and Jeanne Mance, also escorted several, training them in the necessary domestic skills, and ensuring that they would be well looked after. Later, critics of the plan tried to say that all the girls were prostitutes taken off the streets of Paris, but this was rarely, if ever, the case. Most settled down, raised families and formed the roots of many French-Canadian families.

Where Are They From?

An objective of this project is to post the origin of the filles à marier by the provinces they are from. Stay tuned...

Default Profile Picture of a "Fille à Marier"

Click on this picture/icon to open the profile picture for a person associated with this project. When the picture opens, tag it by adding the profile to "On this picture". (Reference)

The List ~ la liste

• Achon, Ozanne, 1657
• Alton, Étiennette dite Antoinette, 1659
• Anet, Jeanne
• Armand, Marie
• Arnu, Marthe
• Artus, Michelle, 1653
• Aubert, Marguerite
• Arneau, Jeanne (Marie-Marthe)
• Aymard, Anne
• Banne, Gillette
• Banse, Marguerite
• Barbeau, Suzanne
• Barré, Gabrielle
• Beaucier, Jeanne
• Beaudoin, Madeleine
• Beaudry, Perrine
• Bénard, Catherine
• Bénard, Françoise
• Benet, Marie-Suzanne
• Bérard, Marie
• Betfer, Suzanne
• Bidard, Marie
• Bigot, Françoise
• Bigot, Jeanne
• Bigot, Marguerite
• Bissonnet, Marie
• Bitouset, Jeanne
• Boileau, Marguerite
• Boissel, Marie
• Bonin, Marie
• Borde or Desbordes, Jacquette
• Boudet, Romaine
• Bourdon, Marie
• Bourgouin, Marie-Marthe
• Boyer, Anne
• Boyer, Marie
• Breton, Marguerite
• Brière, Jeanne-Angélique
• Bugeau, Suzanne
• Camus, Catherine
• Camus or Le Camus, Élisabeth
• Capel, Françoise
• Cartier, Hélène
• Cerisier, Jeanne
• Chapelier, Marie
• Charles, Catherine
• Charlot, Marguerite
• Châtaigné, Marie
• Chatel, Hélène
• Chaverlange, Jeanne
• Chefdeville, Marie
• Chevalier or Lechevalier, Anne
• Cholet or Chaulet, Marie
• Chotard, Jeanne
• Colin, Catherine
• Cousteau, Marie-Madeleine;
• Crampon, Catherine
• Crépeau or Crépel, Françoise
• Crevet, Marie
• D’Assonville, Gabrielle
• De Lamarque, Anne
• De Lambourg, Esther
• Delaunay, Anne
• Delaunay, Jeanne
• Delavaux, Catherine
• De Liercourt, Anne-Antoinette
• Deligny, Marie
• De Mousseau, Louise
• Denoyon, Suzanne
• De Richecourt dit Malteau, Jeanne
• Desbordes, Mathurine
• Després, Anne
• Després, Geneviève
• Després, Marguerite
• Desvarieux, Vincente
• Doucet, Marie-Madeleine
• Doucinet, Marguerite
• Drouillard, Marie-Madeleine
• Drugeon, Élisabeth
• Dubois, Madeleine
• Duchesne, Nicole
• Duguay or Dugué, Jeanne
• Dumesnil, Marie
• Dupont, Marie-Madeleine (Arrive à Québec 1652)
• Durand, Anne-Antoinette
• Duteau, Madeleine
• Duteau dit Perrin, Marie-Michelle
• Duval, Louise
• Duval, Suzanne
• Duverger, Françoise
• Duverger, Suzanne
• Émard, Anne
• Fabrècque, Madeleine
• Fafard, Françoise
• Fayette, Marie
• Ferra, Marie
• Forestier (Fortier), Catherine
• Fougerat, Charlotte
• François, Marie-Madeleine
• Freslon, Jacqueline
• Frit, Marie
• Gachet, Marie
• Gamache, Geneviève
• Garnier, Jeanne
• Garnier or Grenier, Louise
• Gauchet de Belleville, Catherine
• Gaulin, Marguerite
• Gausse dit Le Borgne Françoise
• Gelé, Louise
• Girard, Marie
• Giraud, Isabelle dit Marie
• Gobinet, Élisabeth dit Isabelle
• Godard, Jeanne
• Godard, Marie
• Godé ou Godet, Françoise
• Godeau, Marie
• Godin or Bodin, Jeanne
• Godin, Perrine
• Gouget, Catherine
• Grandin (Grandry), Marie
• Grandry, Marie
• Grenier, Antoinette
• Grignault dit Gobineau, Marie
• Guillebourdeau, Marguerite
• Hagouin, Élisabeth
• Hardy, Marie-Anne
• Hautreux, Marthe
• Hayet, Marguerite
• Hérault, Jeanne
• Herlin, Anne
• Houart, Catherine
• Hubert, Marie-Marthe
• Hubou, Barbe
• Hubou, Françoise
• Hurault or Hurelle, Catherine
• Jaleau dit Ploumelle, Jeanne
• Jamare, Marie
• Jarel or Jaroux, Suzanne
• Jarousseau, Suzanne
• Jobin, Françoise
• Joly, Marie
• Jopie, Anne
• Lagrange, Jacqueline
• Lamoureux, Antoinette dit Louise
• Landeau, Marie-Noëlle
• Languille, Marie
• Latour dit Simonet, Catherine
• Leboeuf, Marguerite Marthe
• Lebreuil, Louise-Thérèse-Marie
• Leclerc, Adrienne
• Leclerc, Marguerite
• Leclerc, Marie, m. Jean-Galleran Boucher, 1661
• Ledet or Léodet, Anne
• Le Flot, Michelle
• Le Laboureur, Anne
• Lelièvre, Françoise
• Lemaître, Denise
• Lemoine or Le Moyne, Anne
• Lemoine or Le Moyne, Jeanne
• Lerouge dit St-Denis, Jeanne
• Leroux, Mathurine
• Leson, Anne
• Letard, Marie
• Longchamp, Geneviève
• Loppé, Renée
• Lorgueil, Marie
• Lorion, Catherine
• Lotier (Lothier), Catherine
• Maclin, Marguerite
• Macré or Maqueray, Geneviève
• Manovely de Rainville, Geneviève
• Marchand, Catherine
• Marecot (Marcotte), Madeleine
• Marguerie, Marie
• Martin, Anne
• Mathieu, Catherine
• Mazouer, Marie
• Méchin, Jeanne
• Méliot, Catherine
• Mercier, Jeanne
• Merrin or Mairé, Jeanne
• Méry, Françoise
• Mésangé, Marie
• Métayer, Marie
• Meunier, Françoise
• Michelande, Madeleine
• Migaud, Suzanne (1663)
• Mignon, Jeanne
• Morin, Claire
• Morin, Françoise
• Morineau, Jeanne
• Morisseau, Marguerite-Madeleine, 1688
• Mullois de Laborde, Madeleine
• Nadreau, Françoise-Jacqueline
• Nau-Fossambault, M-Catherine
• Nau de Fossambault, Michelle
• Oudin, Marie
• Pacreau, Marie
• Panie, Isabeau
• Panie, Marie
• Paré (Paris), Claire-Françoise
• Parenteau or Parentelle, Marie
• Patou, Catherine
• Paulo, Marie
• Pavie, Marie
• Pelletier, Jeanne
• Pelletier or Peltier, Marie
• Péré, Marie or Marie-Suzanne
• Perrault, Marguerite-Cécile
• Picard, Marguerite
• Picoté de Belestre, Perrine
• Pinet de La Chesnaye, Marie
• Pinson, Marie-Marthe
• Poireau, Jeanne
• Poisson, Barbe
• Poisson, Mathurine
• Poitiers dite Buisson, Marie-Charlotte
• Pomponnelle, Marie
• Pontonnier, Marie
• Potel, Jacqueline
• Pournin or Pournain, Marie
• Radisson, Élisabeth
• Radisson, Françoise
• Rebours, Marguerite
• Renaud, Marie
• Renaudeau, Judith-Catherine
• Renaudin Blanchetière, Marie
• Reynier, Christine
• Richard, Marie
• Rigaud, Judith
• Riton, Marie
• Rocheron, Marie
• Rocheteau, Suzanne
• Rolland, Nicole
• Rousselière, Jeanne
• Roy, Jeanne
• Roy, Marie
• Saint-Père, Catherine
• Saint-Père, Jeanne
• Saulnier (Duverdier), Françoise
• Sauviot, Marguerite
• Simon, Marie
• Sinalon, Jeanne
• Soldé, Jeanne
• Soulinier, Marie
• Surget, Madeleine
• Targer, Élisabeth Isabelle
• Taupier, Marie
• Tavernier, Marie
• Testard, Jeanne
• Teste, Marie
• Thavenet, Marguerite-Josèphe
• Therrien, Perrine
• Thomas, Marguerite
• Tourault, Jacquette
• Triot, Marie-Madeleine
• Trotin, Marie
• Valade, Marie-Barbe
• Vauvilliers, Jeanne
• Videau, Anne
• Vié dite Lamotte, Marie
• Viger, Françoise
• Vignault, Jeanne
• Vivran or Vivier, Jacquette
• Voidy, Jeanne

Sources

• Les Filles à marier, MIGRATIONS
• Filles à marier sur Geocity