Surname History

Duplisea Duplessis and Sirois Genealogy by Mark S Duplisea 
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SIROIS and DUPLESSIS SURNAME HISTORY IN NORTH AMERICA

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  Origins of the SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS Family Name // DIT names

SIROIS / DUPLESSIS Surname usage over time

SIROIS and DUPLESSIS Name Variations

Origins of SIROIS Families in North America today

Origins of DUPLESSIS FAMILIES (with variations)in North America Today

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The true surname of Francois SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS was SIROIS. "Dit" in French means "say" and in this context, it means "called." In this instance: Francois SIROIS called DUPLESSIS.  At some point one of Francois’ ancestors who was named SIROIS took on DUPLESSIS as a “dit” name. Francois’ father was Jean SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS. Since it appears Jean never came to America, DUPLESSIS must have been added in France.

The addition of a “dit” name was very common. 

bulletPeople might take a dit name to distinguish their family from another family of the same name living nearby. 
bulletSometimes it was a sort of nickname, often picked up during service as a soldier. 
bulletIt might refer to the place in France where the family originated. 
bulletSometimes it was the mother's surname, and sometimes the father's first name was used.  

In any case, very often the dit name was passed down to later generations, either in place of the original surname, or in addition to it. Some of his children might then keep the original surname, and some might use the dit name. After a few generations, it's not uncommon to completely lose the memory of the original name, or to forget which was the original and which was the dit name. Besides Sirois dit Duplessis, here are a few other common “dit” names from the lower St Lawrence river valley.

bullet Cordeau dit Deslauriers
bulletHudon dit Bealieu
bulletMignier dit Lagacé
bulletMignault dit Labrie
bulletMiville dit Deschênes
bulletRoy dit Desjardins
bulletAnctil dit St Jean
 

In each case the original family surname (i.e. Roy) has a name added (i.e. Desjardins).  

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MEANING OF SIROIS and DUPLESSIS

The meaning of Sirois is not certain, possibilities include:

bullet Some derivation of "six kings" or  "six rois", pronounced "see rwa"a combination of Sir and Geese 
bullet"Sieur Oies", perhaps in reference to a  proprietor of the land where the geese flocked.
bulletor something else
 

 The meaning of "DuPlessis" is of or from "Plessis" where "Plessis" is a place name. In France "plessis" were fortified mounds built as strongholds on top of cliffs.  Many small places came to be known as "Plessis". 

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The first few generations of descendants of Francois SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS conserved the use of DUPLESSIS as a “dit” name. Baptism and marriage records in the 1700’s reflect a mixture of SIROIS or DUPLESSIS appearing alone or together. It is likely though if you were introduced to one of Francois’ sons or their sons during this period they would give you DUPLESSIS as their surname. SIROIS was more likely to be used in formal interactions (i.e legal or religious). Québec conducted a census in 1762 following the burning of the South shore of the St Lawrence by the British in 1759. The sons of Francois thru his second wife were listed in Kamouraska as:

bulletAugustin Duplessis
bulletJoseph Duplessis
bulletMaurice Duplessis
bulletPierre Duplessis

Most of the descendants of Francois dropped the DUPLESSIS “dit” name by 1850 and today use SIROIS or a translation or an Anglicization thereof.. The table below indicates the surname of current paternal descendants of Francois through his thirty-four known grandsons. To date I have only found two lines of descendants who dropped the SIROIS name and kept DUPLESSIS  and both can be traced through Joseph Sirois dit Duplessis(1726-1818) and Marie Louise Claire Levasseur. 

  1. Joseph Duplessis(1755-1816)  -- son of Joseph Sirois dit Duplessis(1726-1818) and Marie Louise Claire Levasseur. ---- Joseph left the Kamouraska area and settled in New Brunswick.  All of Joseph's descendants through male lines for whom I have records had dropped the SIROIS! name by 1900.  I have records for over 5000 of his descendants Database link: Joseph Duplessis    Joseph Duplessis History
  2. Paul Duplessis(1792-1866)--grandson of Joseph Sirois dit Duplessis(1726-1818) and Marie Louise Claire Levasseur through Alexandre -- Paul left the Kamouraska area and settled in an area between Montreal and Trois Rivières. :His descendants through male lines all seem to have used the DUPLESSIS surname. Later some of his family migrated to Massachusetts. It is not clear there are any descendants of his today who are named DUPLESSIS as I only have records for 36 descendants none born later than the early 1900's. Database link: Paul Duplessis

The table below lists by grandson of Francois what surnames are in use by his descendants to whom the family name has been passed.

Son of Francois Sirois dit Duplessis
(mother)

Grandson of Francois

Current Descendant Surname

Francois Sirois dit Duplessis II

(Marie Anne Thiboutot)

Francois III

None recorded

Jean Marie SIROIS

René Pierre

No descendants – died age 23

Joseph Clement No descendants – died in infancy

Germain

SIROIS

Joseph Francois

SIROIS

Jean Baptiste Sirois dit Duplessis
(Marie Anne Thiboutot)

Jean Francois

None recorded -children died young

Joseph Marie

SIROIS, KING

Noël Clément

None recorded

Charles Antoine

None recorded

Pierre

SIROIS

Joseph Henri

None recorded - only daughters married

Maurice Sirois dit Duplessis
(Marie Francoise Roy)

Maurice Zacharie

SIROIS, SEARWAY

Jean Baptiste

No descendants – died in infancy

Augustin Hyacinthe Sirois dit Duplessis
(Marie Francoise Roy)

Michel

No descendants – died age 24

Francois Louis

None recorded

Augustin

SIROIS, KING

Pierre Joseph

None recorded

Jean Baptiste

None recorded

Germain

SIROIS

Joseph Sirois dit Duplessis
(Marie Francoise Roy)

Maurice (first)

No descendants – died in infancy

Etienne

None recorded

Joseph

DUPLACEY, DUPLESSIS, DUPLESSIE,  DUPLISEA, DUPLISSEA, DUPLISSA, DUPLISSIS, DUPLISSIE…

Maurice(second)

None recorded

Alexandre

SIROIS, KING,    DUPLESSIS thru his son PAUL

André

No descendants – died age 24

Michel

No descendants – died in infancy

Jean Baptiste

None recorded

Pierre Sirois dit Duplessis
(Marie Francoise Roy)

Louis

SIROIS

Pierre II

SIROIS

Pascal

SIROIS

Joseph Maurice

SIROIS

Raphael

SIROIS

Francois

SIROIS

Benjamin

SIROIS

Jean Francois Baptiste

SIROIS

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  (descendants of Francois Sirois dit Duplessis)

Many spelling variations of DUPLESSIS and some variations of SIROIS were recorded until standardized forms prevailed by about 1920. As descendants settled in English areas more fundamental changes in the surnames arose due to “translations”. 

SIROIS NAME VARIATIONS:

Early spelling variations

CIRROI, SIROI, SIROIS, SIROY, SYROI, SYROIS

Currently used spelling and Anglicized variations

SEARWAY, SIROIS 

“Translated” variations

KING

 DUPLESSIS NAME VARIATIONS:(for descendants of Joseph Duplessis)

Early spelling variations

DEPLACE, DEPLEICI, DEPLECCY, DEPLESEY, DEPLISSY, DEPLUCIE, DEUPLISEA,
DUPECY, DUPLACE, DUPLACEY, DUPLACIE,  
DUPLEASE, DUPLECIS, DUPLECY,
DUPLEICI, DUPLESE,  DUPLESIE, DUPLESIS, DUPLESY, 
DUPLESSE, DUPLESSI, DUPLESSIE, 
DUPLESSIS

DUPLESSY,
DUPLICE, DUPLICEY, DUPLICI, DUPLICIE, 
DUPLISEA, DUPLISEY,  DUPLISIE, 
DUPLISSA, DUPLISSE, DUPLISSEA, DUPLISSES, DUPLISSEY, DUPLISSI, DUPLISSIE, DUPLISSIS,  

Currently used spelling and Anglicized variations

DUPLACEY,

DUPLESSIS, DUPLESSIE, DUPLISSIS, DUPLISSIE

DUPLISEA,DEUPLISEA DUPLISSEA, DUPLISSA,

“Translated” variations

 

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ORIGINS OF SIROIS FAMILIES IN NORTH AMERICA TODAY 
(Are all Sirois in North America today related??)

It appears that Francois SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS was the only male to carry the name SIROIS who established himself in North America during its early European settlement and passed the SIROIS name on to generations of descendants. 

It is my belief  that over 99% of SIROIS in North America are related as descendants of Francois SIROIS

There is one SIROIS family in North America who actually adopted the SIROIS name as a “DIT” name and then retained it alone as their surname. Descendants of  William (Wellie) Lalancette dit SIROIS and Elisabeth Montreuil who were married on 28 Jan 1877 in St Basile, Madawaska, N.B,  dropped the Lalancette surname and retained SIROIS

Here is a link to this family:

 William "Wellie" Lalancette dit SIROIS Family 

 

Also of note: a search of phone directories in France also indicates a very small number of SIROIS listings (including variations). SIROIS appears to be a very uncommon surname today aside from those who can claim Francois as an ancestor.

 

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ORIGINS OF DUPLESSIS/DUPLISEA/DUPLISSA...  FAMILIES
IN NORTH AMERICA TODAY 
(Are all Duplessis in North America today related??)

Unlike the SIROIS name, the DUPLESSIS surname with its many spelling variations has arrived in North America via many different paths and DUPLESSIS who lived here today can claim many different origins for the name. I have not done a lot of research on this subject but will put forward in rough outlines some of the different origins of which I am aware.

This website is focused on the first DUPLESSIS family listed below, those who are descendants of Francois SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS.  Because of the many different immigrations and the different origins of the immigrants,  DUPLESSIS living in various parts of North America today are much less likely to be closely related than SIROIS are.  That said:

 
bullet

DUPLESSIS living in Maine and New Brunswick have a high probability of being descendants of Joseph DUPLESSIS, grandson of Francois

bullet

DUPLESSIS living in Louisiana are likely to share common immigrant ancestors

bullet

DUPLESSIS in certain parts of Quebec are likely closely related

bullet

DUPLESSIS from each group above are not likely closely related to Duplessis from the other group

bullet

DUPLESSIS living elsewhere in North America could be descendants of Joseph Duplessis, other Duplessis families of Quebec, families who settled in Louisiana or from spearate later immigrations from France, South Africa or elsewhere!

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    DUPLESSIS Family Immigrations to North America

    Time of first immigration
    original ancestor if known

    Other Information

    1700-1710

    Francois SIROIS dit DUPLESSIS

     

    Descendants of his grandson Joseph DUPLESSIS

    Emigrated From

    St Germain en laye de Paris, France

    Immigrated To

    Rivière Ouelle, Kamouraska, Québec

    Duplessis surnames in use today

    DUPLACEY, DUPLESSIS, DUPLISEA, DUPLISSEA, DUPLISSA, DUPLISSIS, DUPLESSIE, DUPLISSIE

    Main locations of descendants today

    Maine, New Brunswick

    Secondary locations of descendants

    Northeast U.S, California

    Websites on this family

     Mark Duplisea's Website

    Pre 1755
    Unknown

    Emigrated From

    France

    Immigrated To

    Acadia, then deported in 1755 to Louisiana

    Duplessis surnames in use today

    Duplissey, Duplessis

    Main locations of descendants today

    Louisiana

    Secondary locations of descendants

    Other US states

    Websites on this family

     

    BEF 1663

    Nicholas Gatineau dit DUPLESSIS

     

    Emigrated From

    France

    Immigrated To

    Trois Rivières, Quebec

    Duplessis surnames in use today

    Duplessis

    Main locations of descendants today

    Province of Quebec

    Secondary locations of descendants

     

    Websites on this family

     

    1800’s

    Many different DUPLESSIS

    Emigrated From

    France

    Immigrated To

    United States

    Duplessis surnames in use today

     

    Main locations of descendants today

     

    Secondary locations of descendants

     

    Websites on this family

     

  • I hope to continue to assemble and improve upon the accuracy of the information in this site. 
    If you have information which would help please contact me.
     
    © Mark Duplisea

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