Skip to content

Ancestors

“The Leclerc, a headache for the genealogists”

Those are the words used by Jean-Louis Lemieux, a journalist at “Le Soleil” newspaper, in july 2006 to describe the great number of different Leclerc, Leclair or Leclaire came from France during the XVII and XVIII century. Actually, we have identify 21 of them. You can learn their story just below.

You can also read here about the mystery of the life and death of Jean Leclerc, the husband of Marie Blanquet and the ancestor of almost two-third of all the Leclerc, Leclair or Leclaire living in North America. A lot of questions are still unsolved. Genealogists, let’s go!

Why Leclerc ?

Mister Emile Falardeau, a famous genealogist, in 1944, drew up a list of 23 various spellings of Leclerc across Canada. On October 5, 2003, “Le Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique” documented 30 different spellings found in their records before 1800: Clair, Claire, Cler, Clerc, Clere, Clers, Laclaire, Leclair, Leclairc, Leclaird, Leclaire, Leclaires, Leclairg, Leclairs, Leclart, Leclec, Lecleire, Lecler, Leclerc, Leclercq, Leclercque, Leclercs, Leclerd, Leclere, Leclerec, Leclerq, Leclerre, Leclers, Leclert.

RDH notes that up to January 1st, 1800, globally all the spellings of Leclerc are ranked 14th in importance of the names documented in Quebec only. We cannot ignore all the spellings in the other provinces and the states.

One must also take into account all the surnames adopted as patronomic: Fleurant, Blondin, Francoeur, Jolicoeur, Lafrenaye, and so on.

In addition, one must also take into account the families that adopted one of the variations of Leclerc as a surname and then as a patronomic: the Auclair, Houde, Comeau, Maufay, Tarbell, Petitclerc.

Presently, we have members of 20 different Leclerc ancestors.

The real Jean Leclerc….

In the beginning of the new French colony, on Île d’Orléans, called the breadbasket and the cradle of New France, three Jean Leclercs were documented, and ever since that time, genealogists and researchers, scratching their heads, are anxious to know which is which.You are in luck, as we are going to de-mystify the situation for you.

There was a Jean Leclerc dit Le Bouteleau,a Jean Leclerc dit Lafleur, and a Jean Leclerc dit Francoeur. Three different surnames that will, more or less, simplify things, because even the notaries and priests of that time were also confused in the use of these surnames. Jean Leclerc, the ancestor of the largest Leclerc descendants, was called Jean Leclerc dit le Bouteleau by Archange Godbout, founder of “Mémoires”, a publication of the “Société Génénéalogiques-Canadienne-Française”, in his article of January 1946. In June of 1949, in the same publication, he retracted his statement and apologized for the error. This Jean Leclerc, husband of Marie Blanquet, and living in the Parish of Saint-Pierre on Île d’Orléans, lost his extended surname. But other historians and genealogists perpetuated the error in their own documentation. Without doubt, this history will be written far and wide in future documentation.

According to a recent publication “Dictionaire Biographique des Ancêtres Québécois” by Michel Langlois, noted archivist and historian, basing his findings on notaries contracts, called this ancestor Jean Leclerc dit Lafleur. Really, do we need another specialist to come along and change surnames again

The surname Le Bouteleau is attributed to the Jean Leclerc who married Marie Couet in the Parish of Sainte-Famille on Île d’Orléans. His only descendants are those of his daughter, who married Thomas Asselin. If you wish more information on the Asselin family, you can contact Mrs. Jacqueline Faucher-Asselin at jfasselin@sympatico.ca

Now, who is Jean Leclerc dit Francoeur, soldier in the “DesCloches” company, living with the residents of Sainte-Famille since March of 1691? He requested permission and married Marie-Madeleine Langlois from the Parish of Saint-Pierre on Île d’Orléans. They established a homestead on the other side of the St. Lawrence River at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. The summary of this ancestor will be in a future article. Did you know that the majority of Francoeurs adopted the extended name of their ancestor, and yet every time someone speaks of a Francoeur, they ask themselves, is this a Leclerc? If you want more information on this family, you may contact Mr. Florian Francoeur at ffrancoeur@sympatico.ca

In summary, Jean Leclerc dit Lafleur, ancestor with the most descendants.

Jean Leclerc dit le Bouteleau, ancestor of many Asselins. Jean Leclerc dit Francoeur, ancestor of Leclercs and the majority of the Francoeurs. I wrote this article using various references, and I am happy to outline for you the many mysteries of our marvellous history. If you are curious about one or more of the ancestors mentioned, do not hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to answer your questions.

Writer : Gilles P. Leclaire

Ancestors