Canadian Anusim - Family Project Website

Project Background:

According to history, the Sephardic Jews were forced to leave Spain and Portugal during the Spanish Inquisition. Many made their way to France, especially the southern part of France, known as Bayonne and Bordeaux. During the early 1600's some of the Anusim (Jews forced to convert to Catholocism) who fled to France, ended up immigrating to New France, now known as Canada, seeking a life without persecution.

The objective of this project is to prove the theory as stated above. As we prove our theory we would like to link ourselves through the Canadian Anusim surnames, places of origin and DNA to other Anusim and Jewish families. Thus, reestablishing family ties that were lost in the Jewish diaspora.

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Project Background, Goals, Results and News are copyright of the specific Surname Project

Project Goals:

We would like to test people of Canadian, Acadian and Cajun descent. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE YOUR SURNAME ON THE LIST BELOW.

The following are names of some ancestors who immigrated to New France during the 17th and 18th centuries. Their names were found among the lists of persons who were condemned and sought by the Inquisition (le Saint-Office). The names were found on the census of Jews as well as other sources which clearly indicated that the people with the following surnames were suspected of being descendants of Jews, even if the they were not cognizant of this fact.

Abel
Abraham (Desmarais)
Abram
Aquin, Achin
Adam
Alve
Arnaud, Arnau
Binet, Binette
Bonnin, Bonin
Bonenfant
Brun, Brunet
Carreau
Caussade, Cassado
Cardinal
Campo, Campeau
Canepannetonne, Panneton
Caron, Charron, Charron-Cabana(c)
Carr
Chaye, Deshayes
Cayat, Caya
Chavin, Chauvin
Coutou
David
Dasilva
de L'espinay, Espinay, Espina
Derry, D'Hery, Dery
Drouin
Ducas, Duguas
Dupont
Dupuy
Duran, Durand,Durante (or any form)
Dussaud, Dussault
Duval
Garau, Gareau
Gelida, Gelina, Bellemare, Lacourse, et Gelineau
Gerbert
Gilbert
Godin, Godino
Hamel, Hamelin
Jacob
Jordan
Lafond
Lambert
Lamy
Larocque, Roque, Roch
Lemoyne, Lemoine
Levesque
Mallet
Maranda
Marcoux
Martel
Martin
Moreau
Paret, Pare, Para
Petit
Pinel
Piquart
Prat, Prats, Pratt, Pratte, Duprat
Paris
Raby
Robidoux, Robidou
Rodrigues
Roger
Roussel
Serre, Serra
Simon
Vidal
Vel
Vezino, Vezina
Viana, Viano, Viancour, Vilancour, Vaillancourt

Project News:

1. The Canadian Anusim Project is now working with the Gen Ami Jewish Genealogy Association. Gen Ami has added the records for the Pont-Saint-Esprit, Bayonne & Bordeaux Area to their website. They have a wonderfully informative newsletter and had an article about the Canadian Anusim Project member David Dugas and his link to the French Cohan Ducas family. I highly recommend joining the association. Micheline Gutmann of Gen Ami, has been a huge help to our project.

Gen Ami web address: www.genami.org

2. We are in the process of comparing all of our male DNA test results to both Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish DNA test results that Family Tree DNA now has. We will keep the website updated as to our findings.

3. I want to thank Doug Miller from the French-Heritage DNA Project, also located on Family Tree DNA site, for all of the help you have provided our project.

4. I would like to encourage anyone interested in this Project to consider a generous donation. We have many people who need to be tested but are unable to afford the cost of the testing.

5. The following is a link to join The Sephardic Jewish Genealogy E-Group. We are currently discussing our Project test results and have quite a few active members working on not only their personal genealogy but are also assisting others that are working on the Canadian Anusim Genealogies. We have become a very active discussion group and the message archives are quickly filling up with useful information about the anusim families in Canada.

"Click here to join SephardicJewishGenealogy">

Project Results:

Male YDNA Test Results with Middle Eastern Origins:

NAME - HAPLOGROUP

Amyotte - J2

LaMont - J2

Dube - J2

Dugas (Ducas) - J2

Lamoureax - J2

Vizenor (Vezina) - G2

Vezina - G2

Bilodeau - G2

Allair - E3b

Belmar - E3b

Bellemare - E3b

Bernard - E3b

Plant - E3b

Pillot (Ehlinger) - E3b

Rainville - E3b

Rose - E3b

Gauvrit - E3b

Test Results for Canadians located online from
FRENCH-CANADIAN/ACADIAN HERITAGE PROJECT:

H. Ganiard - J

S. Ganiard - J

Branche - J1

Amyot - J2

Auger - J2

Beauchamp - J2

Collett - J2

G. Lamont - J2

Michaud - J2

Ouellet - J2

Quesnel(Roussel) - J2

R. Auger - G2

Gaudet - G2

Morin - G2

J. Boucher - E3b

M. Boucher - E3b

C. Charpentier - E3b

Dussault - E3b

R. Lurie - E3b

French or Canadian surnames - Test Results:

Boutareaud - J2

Burset - J2

Fuqua (Fuquet) - J2

Douzet - E3b

Gingras (Gingreau) - E3b

Marttinen - E3b

Rodrigue - E3b

Female mtDNA will be added to the test results soon.

Description of Haplogroups: http://www.kerchner.com/haplogroups-ydna.htm

DNA Test Results (mtDNA) for Project Members