Where to Begin

If you are new to genealogy and have not yet done so, we recommend reading each of the notes to the left on ascendancy, descendancy and family history, etc., until you are sure you understand them.

Your next step might be to read some simple introductory essays on how to do genealogical research. You will find several mentioned in the Sources postings and more will be pointed out to you once you begin corresponding with other Baril researchers.

Once you have a feel for the informal atmosphere of this work and for how much of a collective effort it is, leave an introductory message at info@baril.org letting us know you have arrived. We will arrange as soon as possible for another Baril to begin corresponding with you.

Before long, hopefully you will be asking us to add you to the list of genealogically aware Barils willing to help others.

Ascendancies - The Easy Part

In genealogy, 'ascendancy' means to move backwards in time, from yourself to your parents and from your parents to your grandparents, as far back as possible. In that sense, the Barils of North America are among the luckiest genealogy buffs in the world.

Thanks to meticulous records kept throughout New France, first by the Roman Catholic Church and later by the Government of Québec, Barils in North America are usually able to trace their lineage back to 1665.

If you can establish the names of your two Baril grandparents and the Town where they were married, you are ready to begin. If not, start by asking your oldest living relatives for that information. If you can also learn the names of your Baril great-grandparents, your success is virtually guaranteed!

We find it difficult to adequately express our gratitude to those tireless souls (mostly women) who painstakingly transcribed our parish records for over 300 years. As you begin the search for your own seminal roots we hope you will experience a little of the awe that inspires us at the very thought of those women producing the thousands upon thousands of annual indexes you will draw upon. They did it all by hand, or using ancient manual typewriters.

Descendancies

In genealogy, 'descendancy' means to move forward in time, from a specific ancestor to the present day, recording all the children born in each generation, their marriages, and where they are buried.

For the Barils of North America that is an astonishing journey because our single common ancestor, Jean Baril, was married three times and fathered fifteen sons (15) most of whom spread the Baril name.

There are two equally interesting ways of sorting out your branch of Barils. One is to establish which of Jean's three wives your family comes from and which grandson. The other is to travel upstream along the tributaries that feed into the mighty Fleuve St-Laurent.

This work is best done from one of Québec's wonderful genealogical archives by consulting the colonial era indexes: Tanguay, Jetté, Drouin (both Men and Women), and the many parish records that are also available on-site.

With that information in hand, there is nothing quite like driving along a winding rural concession line that leads to the specific village, and lot, where your ancestors first toiled the land with their own hands.

A Personal Note from Suzanne: As I re-commit myself to this website (February 2020) and re-read the letters and webpages created in the late 1990s at the peak of my working life and career, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. It was a busy time in my life and my only regret is that I didn't have enough time to dedicate to this, especially while my father was still alive.

If you are just starting on this journey to discover your family roots, I dare to offer one small tidbit of advice. Enjoy the journey and don't fret that you won't get it all done now or ever. The journey is the prize in this game.