Options [ Tanguay Instructions ] [ Complement Instructions ]

Using Tanguay records is a three step process:
1) Record the data from Tanguay.
2) Check both series of the Complement for any additions or corrections.
3) Based on the data from #1 and #2, locate the Primary Record to validate the data.


The reference volumes commonly called TANGUAY, include 7 volumes of the "Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours" by Cyprien Tanguay (1819-1902), written in French and published 1871-1890. Credit must be given to Cyprien Tanguay for his outstanding work long before the days of computers.

Volume-1 covers the years 1608 - 1700 and volumes 2-7 cover the years 1701 - 1763. Pages are numbered sequentially through volumes 2-7.
Check BOTH date ranges, since there is some overlap between the first and subsequent volumes.

Unfortunately, Tanguay did not include some or all of the Parishes of Boucherville, Cap-de-Madeleine, Pointe Clair, Point-aux-Trembles de Montreal, Rivier-des-Prairies, Saint Louis de Lotbiniere, and Saint-Pierre du Sud.

Also, some or all of the counties of Berthier, Deux-Montagnes, Joliette, L'Assomption and Terrebonne are omitted.

Tanguay abbreviates births as 'n' (ne/nee), baptisms as 'b', marriages as 'm', deaths as 'd', and burials as 's' (sepulcre).

Tanguay records are known to contain data errors, but they still have tremendous value for doing your research. To understand the Tanguay format, be sure to read the Tanguay Instructions.


This is where the COMPLEMENT to Tanguay comes in. The "Complement au Dictionnaire Tanguay", edited by Joseph-Arthur Leboeuf, is in two volumes, called series (1957 and 1977) plus an addendum to series-1. Each one contains thousands of additions and corrections to Tanguay. AFGS is fortunate to have permission to provide them.

Since each volume is a separate work, it is important to lookup a marriage in BOTH Complement series. Both Complement series (books) list marriages alphabetically by groom surname, then by given name. Since LeBoeuf published various versions of each series as he compiled the data, it may be possible to find the Complement in more than two volumes or smaller booklets.

Read the Complement Instructions to learn how to interpret the information.

If you still need help, please email AFGS at: membersonlyhelp@afgs.org