St-Arnaud Genealogy

Our Ancestor

Paul Bertrand dit St-Arnaud, son of Jean Bertrand and of Marie Née, and baptized on November 27, 1661 in the parish of Sainte-Madeleine de Verneuil-sur-Avre, Normandy (Eure), France with the name of Jean-Paul Bertrand. Paul also had a brother Jean who stayed in France. Jean had a daughter who may have continued the Bertrand family in France.

In the new world, his name first shows up in the registers of Batiscan on January 6, 1695, where on this date, he is the godfather of Marie-Anne, daughter of Jacques Tifault and of Marie-Anne Lescuyer. In 1697, he married Gabrielle Baribeau, daughter of François and Perrine Moreau, in St-François-Xavier de Batiscan, QC. They had eight children which included two sons Paul-François and Jean-Baptiste

 At the end of the 17th century  there were five recorded Bertrand families living in New France. Jean Bertrand in the Charlesbourg area, Guillaume Bertrand in Neuville, René Bertrand dit Lafleur in Chateau-Richer, Jean Bertrand dit Raymond in Montreal and our Paul Bertrand dit St.Arnaud who settled on the Batiscan River. Also in Batiscan we find one Pierre Bertrand who's signature appears in Batiscan records. Pierre was a teacher, public writer and sacristan. He died a bachelor and no connection can be found to the St.Arnaud family (at this time). He signed many public records with his initials and this led to much confusion as to what Bertrand we have. René Bacon, author of the book "La Famille St.Arnaud à la Batiscan 1695-1770" and also a "St.Arnaud" himself confirmed the distinction between the two "P. Bertrands" by carefully comparing the two signatures on original records.

     We can assume that this contributed to our ancestor Paul's taking of the dit" name of St-Arnaud. The term "dit" translates as "called" or "AKA" (also known as).

Paul Bertrand dit St-Arnaud is my seventh great grandfather via my great grandmother, Bridgitte St-Arnault married to Télesphore L'Heureux. See my connection to Paul Bertrand.

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St-Arnaud Reunions

 Since the St-Arnaud Association has been formed, an annual gathering has taken place every summer as part of the Annual Meeting of the Association.

The meeting this year will be on August 23 in Quebec City.(meeting, mass and supper) and on August 24 (marathon and gathering). Details on those activities and a registration form are available in English and in French.

For info and pictures about previous reunions, see

• Annual Meeting 2007
  • Announcement in English and in French
• Annual Meeting 2006
  • Announcement - French and English in one document
• Annual Meeting 2005
  • Announcement - French and English in one document
• Annual Meeting 2004
  • Slideshow - Pictures taken at the meeting
• Annual Meeting 2003
  • Slideshow - Includes a visit to the ancestral farm
• Annual Meeting 2002
  • Report - With links to some pictures
  • Slideshow- Pictures taken at the meeting
• The St-Arnaud Association Website

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Are we related?

If you are working on the ST-ARNAUD genealogy and variations such as ST-ARNOU, ST-ARNOULD, ST-ARNAUX, ST-ARNAULT, ST-ARNEAULT, ST.ARNAULD, SANTINEAU, SANTANNA, ST. ARNOLD, you have two suggestions for you

• The ST-ARNAUD Mailing List - Join and share your information. 
• The Association of the Descendants of Paul Bertrand dit St-Arnaud - Visit their new website

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