French-Canadian Americans (; also referred to as Franco-Canadian Americans or Canadien Americans) are Americans of
French-Canadian descent. About 2 million U.S. residents cited this ancestry in the 2020 census. In the 2010 census, the majority of respondents reported speaking
French at home.
Americans of French-Canadian descent are most heavily concentrated in
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
,
New York State
New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
,
Louisiana
Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
and the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
. Their ancestors mostly arrived in the United States from
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
between 1840 and 1930, though some families became established as early as the 17th and 18th centuries.
The term ''
Canadien
French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French colonists first arriving in France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of French Canadians live in the provi ...
'' (French for "Canadian") may be used either in reference to
nationality
Nationality is the legal status of belonging to a particular nation, defined as a group of people organized in one country, under one legal jurisdiction, or as a group of people who are united on the basis of culture.
In international law, n ...
or
ethnicity
An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they Collective consciousness, collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, ...
in regard to this population group. French-Canadian Americans, because of their proximity to Canada and Quebec, kept their language, culture, and religion alive much longer than any other ethnic group in the United States apart from
Mexican Americans. Many "
Little Canada" neighborhoods developed in New England cities, but gradually disappeared as their residents eventually assimilated into the American mainstream. A revival of the Canadian identity has taken place in the Midwestern states, where some families of French descent have lived for many generations. These states had been considered part of Canada
until 1783. A return to their roots seems to be taking place, with a greater interest in all things that are Canadian or Québécois.
French-Canadian population in New England
In the late 19th century, many Francophones arrived in New England from
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
and
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
to work in
textile mill
Textile manufacturing or textile engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful good ...
cities in New England. In the same period, Francophones from Quebec soon became a majority of the workers in the saw mill and logging camps in the
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...
and their foothills. Others sought opportunities for farming and other trades such as blacksmiths in
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is a geographic region of New York (state), New York that lies north and northwest of the New York metropolitan area, New York City metropolitan area of downstate New York. Upstate includes the middle and upper Hudson Valley, ...
. By the mid-20th century, French-Canadian Americans comprised 30 percent of
Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
's population. Some migrants became
lumberjack
Lumberjack is a mostly North American term for workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees. The term usually refers to loggers in the era before 1945 in the United States, when trees were felled us ...
s but most concentrated in industrialized areas and into enclaves known as
Little Canadas in cities like
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston (; ) is the List of municipalities in Maine, second most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with the city's population at 37,121 as of the 2020 United States census. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, Augusta, the sta ...
,
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,247. Loca ...
, and
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket ( ), is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 43,240 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Being Rhode Island's northernmost city, Woonsoc ...
.
[Mark Paul Richard, ''From 'Canadien' to American: The Acculturation of French-Canadian Descendants in Lewiston, Maine, 1860 to the Present'', PhD dissertation, Duke U., 2002; ''Dissertation Abstracts International'', 2002 62(10): 3540-A. DA3031009, 583p.]
Driven by depleted farmlands, poverty and a lack of local economic opportunitunities, rural inhabitants of these areas sought work in the expanding mill industries. Newspapers in
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
carried advertisements touting the desirability of wage labor work in the
textile mill
Textile manufacturing or textile engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful good ...
s. In addition to industry's organized recruitment campaigns, the close kinship network of French-Canadians facilitated transnational communication and the awareness of economic opportunity for their friends and relatives. Individual French-Canadian families who desired dwellings developed French Canadian neighborhoods, called
Petit Canadas, and sought out local financing. Most arrived through railroads such as the
Grand Trunk Railroad.
French-Canadian women saw New England as a place of opportunity and possibility where they could create economic alternatives for themselves distinct from the expectations of their farm families in Canada. By the early 20th century some saw temporary migration to the United States to work as a rite of passage and a time of self-discovery and self-reliance. Most moved permanently to the United States, using the inexpensive railroad system to visit Quebec from time to time. When these women did marry, they had fewer children with longer intervals between children than their Canadian counterparts. Some women never married, and oral accounts suggest that self-reliance and economic independence were important reasons for choosing work over marriage and motherhood. These women conformed to traditional gender ideals in order to retain their 'Canadienne' cultural identity, but they also redefined these roles in ways that provided them increased independence in their roles as wives and mothers.
The French-Canadians became active in the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
where they tried with little success to challenge its domination by
Irish clerics.
They founded such newspapers as '
Le Messager' and '
La Justice.' The first hospital in
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston (; ) is the List of municipalities in Maine, second most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with the city's population at 37,121 as of the 2020 United States census. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, Augusta, the sta ...
, became a reality in 1889 when the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, the "
Grey Nuns", opened the doors of the Asylum of Our Lady of Lourdes. This hospital was central to the Grey Nuns' mission of providing
social services
Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. Also available amachine-converted HTML They may be provided by individuals, private and i ...
for Lewiston's predominately French-Canadian mill workers. The Grey Nuns struggled to establish their institution despite meager financial resources, language barriers, and opposition from the established medical community. Immigration dwindled with the
U.S. immigration restrictions after
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
The French-Canadian community in New England tried to preserve some of its cultural norms. This doctrine, like efforts to preserve
Francophone culture in
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, became known as ''
la Survivance''.
Cities
States
French Canadian immigration to New England
American cities founded by or named after French Canadians
*
Biloxi
Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
, founded by
Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville
*
Bourbonnais
The Bourbonnais (; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Borbonés'') was a Provinces of France, historic province in the centre of France that corresponds to the modern ''département in France, département'' of Allier, along with part of the ''dépar ...
named after François Bourbonnais
*
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...
founded by
Antoine LeClaire
*
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, named by French explorer
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac
Antoine de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (, ; March 5, 1658October 16, 1730), born Antoine Laumet, was a French explorer and adventurer in New France, which stretched from Eastern Canada to Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico. He rose from a modest beg ...
*
*
Dubuque
Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...
, named after
Julien Dubuque
*
Duluth, Georgia
Duluth ( ) is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. Located north of Interstate 85, it is approximately northeast of Atlanta.
As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Duluth had a population of 31,873, and the United Stat ...
and
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...
, both named after French explorer
Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut
*
Fremont, California
Fremont () is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area, Fremont has a population of 230,504 as of 2020, making it the fourth List of cities and towns in the San F ...
, named after
John C. Frémont
*
Huron, founded by Jean-Baptiste Flemmond
*
Juneau, named after
Joe Juneau
*
La Barge, Wyoming, named after
Joseph Marie La Barge
*
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie () is a List of municipalities in Wyoming, city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States, known for its high elevation at , for its railroad history, and as the home of the University of Wyoming. The population wa ...
, named after
Jacques La Remee
*
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, founded by
Solomon Juneau
*
Mobile, founded by
Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville
*
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, founded by
Lemoyne de Bienville
*
Portage Des Sioux founded by
Zenon Trudeau and François Saucier
*
Provo, Utah
Provo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Utah County, Utah, United States. It is south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front, and lies between the cities of Orem, Utah, Orem to the north and Springville, Utah, Springville to the south ...
, named for
Etienne Provost
*
Saint Joseph
According to the canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus.
Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Eastern O ...
, founded by
Joseph Robidoux
*
Saint Paul, first settled by
Pierre Parrant
*
Vincennes founded by
François-Marie Bissot
Notable French Canadian Americans
*
John C. Frémont, first
Republican nominee for
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
, former
United States senator from California, former
Military Governor of California, former
Governor of the Arizona Territory
*
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American actor and professional wrestler. As a wrestler, he has been signed to WWE , where he is the current WWE Championship, Undisputed WWE Champion in his record 14th reign, which is ...
, professional wrestler; has French-Canadian ancestry through his mother
*
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot ( ; June 27, 1930 – July 9, 2019) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chief executive officer of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He ran an Independent politician ...
, business magnate, politician, and philanthropist
*
Alex Trebek, former host of
Jeopardy!
''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
*
Annie Proulx, prolific writer, winner of the
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for her first novel, ''
Postcards
A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin Card stock, cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare.
In some places, one can send a ...
''. Her second novel, ''
The Shipping News'' (1993), won both the
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It recognizes distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life, published during ...
["Fiction"]
''Past winners & finalists by category''. The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 2012-03-28. and the U.S.
National Book Award for Fiction. Her short story "
Brokeback Mountain
''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from Brokeback Mountain (short story), the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, the screenplay ...
" was adapted as an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
,
BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
and
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
-winning
motion picture
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...
released in 2005.
*
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
- Has French-Canadian ancestry through her mother.
See also
*
Francophone Canadians
*
History of the Franco-Americans
*
Canadian ethnicity
References
Further reading
* Anctil, Pierre. (1979). ''A Franco-American Bibliography: New England'', Bedford, N. H.: National Materials Development Center, 137 p.
* Barkan, Elliott Robert. (1980) "French Canadians". in Stephan Thernstrom, ed. ''Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups'' 388-401, comprehensive survey
* Brault, Gérard-J. (1986). ''The French-Canadian Heritage in New England'', Hanover: University Press of New England, 1986, 282 p.
online excerpt
* Brown, Michael. "Franco-American Identity at the University of Maine," ''Maine History'' 1997 36(3-4): 106-119
* Chartier, Armand, and Claire Quintal (1999). ''The Franco-Americans of New England. A History'', Manchester and Worcester: ACA Assurance and Institut français of
Assumption College, 537 p. . 537pp; encyclopedic coverage, 1860 to 1990s.
* Doty, C. Stewart. "The Future of the Franco-American Past," ''American Review of Canadian Studies,'' Spring 2000, Vol. 30 Issue 1, pp 7–17 calls for further research on trade unionism, politics, farming and logging, links with Quebec elites, and literary figures.
*
* Fedunkiw, Marianne P. "French-Canadian Americans." in ''Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America,'' edited by Thomas Riggs, (3rd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2014), pp. 167–183
Online*
Fréchette, Louis (1900). ''The United States for French Canadians'', 345 page
online freeGagné, Peter J.and Adrien Gabriel Morice (2000). ''French-Canadians of the West. A Biographical Dictionary of French-Canadians and French Métis of the Western United States and Canada''
Quintin Publications
* Geyh, Patricia Keeney, et al. (2002). ''French Canadian Sources. A Guide for Genealogists'', Ancestry Publishing, 320 pages
online excerpt
* Gosnell, Jonathan. "Le base ball, Assimilation, and Ethnic Identity: The National Pastime in Franco-America." ''Quebec Studies'' 66 (2018): 49-75
online*
*
*
* Lamarre, Jean. (2003). ''The French Canadians of Michigan'', Wayne State University Press, 209 pages
online excerpt
* Laflamme, J.L.K., David E. Lavigne and J. Arthur Favreau. (1908)
* Louder, Dean R., and Eric Waddell, eds. (1993). ''French America. Mobility, Identity, and Minority Experience Across the Continent'', Louisiana State University Press, 371 pages
* Lindenfeld, Jacqueline. (2002). ''The French in the United States. An Ethnographic Study'', Greenwood Publishing Group, 184 pages
online excerpt
* Monnier, Alain. "Franco-Americains et Francophones aux Etats-Unis" ("Franco-Americans and French Speakers in the United States). ''Population'' 1987 42(3): 527-542. Census study.
* Murphy, Lucy Eldersveld, ''Great Lakes Creoles: A French-Indian Community on the Northern Borderlands, Prairie du Chien, 1750-1860.'' New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
* Perreault, Robert B. ''Franco-American Life and Culture in Manchester, New Hampshire: Vivre La Difference'' (2010
excerpt and text search* Potvin, Raymond H. "The Franco-American Parishes of New England: Past, Present and Future," ''American Catholic Studies'' 2003 114(2): 55-67.
* Richard, Mark Paul. (2008) ''Loyal but French: The Negotiation of Identity by French-Canadian Descendants in the United States'', on acculturation in
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston (; ) is the List of municipalities in Maine, second most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with the city's population at 37,121 as of the 2020 United States census. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, Augusta, the sta ...
, 1860 to the 2000
* Richard, Mark Paul. (2016) "'Sunk into Poverty and Despair': Franco-American Clergy Letters to FDR during the Great Depression." ''Quebec Studies'' 61#1: 39-52
online* Richard, Sacha. (2002) "American Perspectives on 'La Fievre aux Etats-Unis,' 1860–1930: A Historiographical Analysis of Recent Writings on the Franco-Americans in New England," ''Canadian Review of American Studies'' 32(1): 105-132
* Roby, Yves. (2004). ''The Franco-Americans of New England. Dreams and Realities'', Montreal: Les éditions du Septentrion, 543 pages
online excerpt translated by Mary Ricard.
* Rumily, Robert. (1958) ''Histoire des Franco Americains''. a standard history, in French
* Stewart, Alice R. (1987) "The Franco-Americans of Maine: A Historiographical Essay," ''Maine Historical Society Quarterly'' 26(3): 160-179
* Vermette, David G. (2018) ''A Distinct Alien Race: The Untold Story of Franco-Americans: Industrialization, Immigration, Religious Strife''
* Warren, Jean-Philippe. (2017) "The French Canadian Press in the United States." ''Journal of Modern Periodical Studies'' 7.1-2: 74-95
online
Primary sources
* Madore, Nelson, and Barry Rodrigue, eds. ''Voyages: A Maine Franco-American Reader'' (2009)
* Robbins, Rhea Cote. 'down the Plains,' (2013) http://www.rhetapress.com/
* Robbins, Rhea Cote. ''Wednesday's Child'' (2008)
* Robbins, Rhea Cote, ed. ''Canuck and Other Stories'' (2006)
External links
American-French Genealogical SocietyA genealogical and historical organization for French-Canadian research
{{Authority control
French diaspora in the United States
Canadian diaspora in the United States