Genealogy:

Reading French Occupations

When transcribing documents where the originator was francophone special care should be taken to accurately transcribe the occupation field.

There are some special concerns with regard to this column:

• Canadian French is not now, and never has been, the same as Parisian French. Conventional French dictionaries do not contain many of the words which were in usage quotidien in Canada. In addition words may have different meanings in Canada than in France.
• Particularly in a border region, like Eastern Ontario, French is frequently corrupted by English influences. For example postal clerk should be commis de malle, but an enumerator incorrectly wrote commis de maille in one case in the 1901 census, probably because of the influence of the English "mail".
• French clerks were no better at spelling than English enumerators, except where they were either priests or notaries.

The following is a partial list of French occupations as encountered in the 1901 census of Ottawa/Carleton:

Artiste	artist
Avocat	lawyer
Barbier	barber
Boucher	butcher
Boulanger	baker
Briquetier	brickmaker
Carrier	quarry worker
Cellier	storekeeper
Charetier	teamster
Charpentier	carpenter
chauffeur	railroad fireman or driver
Cocher	coachman
Colporteur	commercial traveller (travelling salesman)
Commis	clerk
Commis de malle	postal Clerk
Commis-hotel	hotel clerk
Commis-Marchant	sales clerk
Commissionaire	agent
Conducteur	conductor
Contremaitre	foreman
Cordonnier	shoemaker
Couturier	dressmaker (male)
Couturiere	dressmaker (female)
Cuisinier	cook (male)
Cuisinière	cook (female)
Electricien	electrician
Epicier	grocer
Etudiant	studant
Fermier	farmer
Ferblantier	tinsmith
Forgeron	blacksmith
Geologiste	geologist
Hotellier	hotel keeper
Imprimeur	printer
Ingenieur	engineer
Jailleur	jailer
Journalier	day laborer (male)
Journalière	day laborer (female)
Journalist	newspaperman
Journaliste	newspaperwoman
Laveuse	washwoman
Libraire	book seller
Machiniste	machinist
Marchant	merchant
Masson	mason
Mecanicien	mechanic
Menuisier	joiner, cabinet maker
Messager	messenger
Minier	miner
Modiste	hair dresser
Musicien	musician
Notaire	notary
Peintre	painter
Pharmacien	pharmacist
Platrier	plasterer
Plombier	plumber
Postillon	coachman
Reparation	handyman
Restauranteur	restaurant owner
Secretaire	secretary
Servant	servant (male)
Servante	servant (female)
Tailleur	tailor
Tailleuse	tailoress

Contact Author Genealogy: