Many researchers with French-Canadian ancestors are often confused or stopped in their research by the ever-present usage of what is called a "dit" name. A very brief way of explaining this is that a "dit" name (in the case of a man) or "dite" name (for women) is a form of an alias. Its usage is almost only in France, New France or Quebec, or occasionally in Scotland where clan names may include a "sept" or subgrouping name. We will focus here on the usage of these names in New France or Quebec. The word "dit" or "dite" comes from the French verb "dire" which means "to speak" or "to say". When used with a name, as in our examples here, it literally means "so-called". In the simple way of understanding, our ancestors used these "dit" names to distinguish one member of a family from another. It was very common to name a son for his father or grandfather, a daughter for a mother or beloved aunt. But with the same given name appearing with the same surname repeatedly (and especially in the small communities of New France), one could easily become confused as to who was being spoken of......Marie, daughter of Marie, whose aunt Marie is the neighbor, all of them of the surname Belanger, can quickly confuse a listener, or confuse the poor notary who records the various marriages, births and deaths. Among some reasons for the dit names, we can find:

• a surnames used in the army, to designate the company of a particular man
• the original place of origin in France of a family
• the addition of a land name or location, inhabited by an ancestor
• the first name of an ancient, French, ancestor who the family honors in memory
• a variety of descriptive terms, either of hair color, temperament, weight or honor for a particular patriarch of a family.
• and probably many other reasons, now lost to us today!