Can't explain the "why" to your question but use of "dit" usually would translate as "known as" or "called". One still runs across it occasionally in Quebec. Hope that helps. "Alias" might be a good translation also. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "David J. Ellis" <dr.ellis@physics.org> To: <qc-etanglo@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 5:38 PM Subject: [QC-ETANGLO] French "dit" names... | Can anyone explain the use of "dit" names by the French speaking community? | I have come across them a few time in the various census records but because | they do not apply to the lines that I am researched I have not paid much | attention to them, figuring it was just a kind of alias. However, I saw two, | fairly close together, in an 1825 census which were "Louis Gros dit St. | Pierre" and "Antoine St. Pierre dit Gros". | | How does someone acquire a "dit" name? Why did they acquire one? What was | the purpose behind it? | | I figure someone on this list must have some French blood in their ancestry | and can educate us on this matter... | | | | | | | ------------------------------- | To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to QC-ETANGLO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message |