Quote:
Originally Posted by kwoldtimer
I've always wondered what "percentage" French the typical franco-Quebecker actually is. Apart from the indigenous heritage, I seem to have met many people who are aware of a Scottish or Irish ancestor at some point after 1759. Not to mention ancestors who originated in Germany or whatever. I would imagine that research has been done on this.
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I'd say the French "admixture" (right term?) is still very, very high among the general francophone population in Quebec.
French surnames are still very predominate even though admittely some of them may not be originally French and camouflage foreign origins: Lahaie (Leahey), Sylvain (Sullivan), Rodrigue (Rodrigues), Phaneuf (Farnsworth), Tisdelle (Teasdale), etc.
That said there have also been studies that showed that Québécois francophone lore tends to
overestimate the aboriginal and Irish roots of the population here. So opinions vary.
Of course, this did not prevent the legendary neo-trad Quebec band Mes Aïeux (My Forebears) from having its members costumed as a priest, a coureur de bois, an aboriginal guy, an angel (the only girl in the band) and a... leprechaun!