I have been looking for information on the meaning of title "ecuyer" which was used in the name/title of Antoine Valentin Verloin DeGruy. Apparently, this term is somewhat similar to the English term Squire ---- but one must be careful in trying to find strict equivalents from country to country. For anyone wanting to find out more about French nobility and the term "Ecuyer" two sites I've found that are interesting. The first is pretty long and the discussion of "ecuyer" is almost half way down. www.heraldica.org/topics/france/noblesse.htm There is some discussion of "Ecuyer" including the statement "Any nobleman, no matter how recent, was an ecuyer, and only noblemen could be styled as such." There also is some discussion of the term "Lord" as used in France. www.heraldica.org/topics/france/frhercha.htm This seems to indicate that "Ecuyer" might be an untitled nobleman, perhaps below the rank of Baron. ************************** The term "Ecuyer" from the French apparently is similar to squire or castillan/chatelain in English. Indeed, the term Squire comes from the French "escuier." A castillan (chatelain/chatelaine?) was the commander in charge of a castle. A squire was a person with pre-eminent position in the community, usually living in the village manor house and owning an estate in or around the village. ************************ This information, together with the earlier posting that someone made identifying some of the areas/towns mentione in Verloin DeGruy's name and titles, seems to indicate that the Verloin DeGruy family were minor nobility, and perhaps the pre-eminent family, in these areas/villages. Minor sons of the nobility often became officers in the French military, and this seems to fit Antoine Verloin DeGruy. Of course, that leaves the possibility that some members of the family may have had titles above that of "Escuyer." (I'm "in over my head" here! --- so .......) Frank McFarland P.S. It is my understanding that the title "Sieur" was awarded in Canada to persons who made a contribution to the community/government in some way, and the title often (always?) came with the person being awarded title to some significant land/estate.