{"id":228,"date":"2023-03-21T07:19:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T11:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/?page_id=228"},"modified":"2024-04-28T16:07:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-28T20:07:12","slug":"notre-patronyme-et-son-evolution","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/notre-patronyme-et-son-evolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Our family name and its evolution"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0The mystery of the famous \u201cLX\u201d of Proulx<\/strong>
A fantasy of Father Antoine Proulx<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Jean-Pierre Proulx<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

NOTE : This article first appeared in the M\u00e9moires de la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 g\u00e9n\u00e9alogique canadienne-fran\u00e7aise. PROULX, Jean-Pierre. \u201cLes Proulx \u2013 Pour en finir avec notre LX! (Part 2)\u201d, in\u00a0Figure de Prou<\/em>, Figure de Prou, Issue 15 \u2013 September 9, 2016, pp. 1, 4-5. We have added here the reference to the marriage of Pierre Proulx to Louise Robineau.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In Poitou, Jean of Neuville, our ancestor, as well as Jean of Montmagny, his contemporary, were both Prousts, a contraction of provost or pr\u00e9v\u00f4t, the title of an officer of the law1<\/a><\/sup>. But as soon as they arrived here, around 1670, they were renamed Prou. No doubt because the \u201cST\u201d could not be pronounced. And the priests and notaries of the time were probably not from Poitou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here we are Proulx! Someone has come up with a nice explanation: as our ancestors were illiterate, the notaries and priests would have placed a bar at the end of Prou after which the person concerned would add his cross. But this is a nice legend!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Il y a plusieurs ann\u00e9es, un j\u00e9suite a propos\u00e9 une explication savante\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0\u2026la terminaison \u00ab\u00a0lx\u00a0\u00bb indique un diminutif en \u201culus\u201d ou \u201cellus\u201d2<\/a><\/sup>\u00bb. Interesting, but hardly convincing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We looked for a better explanation and we think we found it. This \u201cLX\u201d is simply a fantasy of Father Antoine Proulx, born on June 15, 1726 in Neuville, son of Fran\u00e7ois Proulx and Marie-Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Faucher. Ordained in 1751, he was appointed parish priest in Yamaska and then in Terrebonne in 1758. He died in Montreal on November 7, 1758; his biographer, J.-B. Allaire3<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0erroneously gave him birth in Pointe-aux-Trembles of Montreal, confusing this village with Pointe-aux-Trembles near Quebec City, today Neuville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fantaisie, car le cur\u00e9 qui a r\u00e9dig\u00e9 son acte de bapt\u00eame \u00e0 Neuville avait \u00e9crit \u00ab Prou \u00bb. Antoine a d\u00e9cid\u00e9 d\u2019ajouter un \u00ab LX \u00bb \u00e0 son nom. Quand ? Peut-\u00eatre au petit s\u00e9minaire de Qu\u00e9bec dans les ann\u00e9es 1640. Cela n\u2019a pu \u00eatre v\u00e9rifi\u00e9. Au d\u00e9but du 18e si\u00e8cle, observe-t-on, les cur\u00e9s et les notaires avaient commenc\u00e9 \u00e0 ajouter un \u00ab\u00a0X\u00a0\u00bb \u00e0 la fin du patronyme Prou. Et la forme Proux finit par remplacer le Prou d\u2019origine. Peut-\u00eatre parce que bien des mots se terminant en \u00ab\u00a0ou\u00a0\u00bb, au singulier comme au pluriel,\u00a0prennent un \u00ab\u00a0X\u00a0\u00bb \u00e0 la fin. Ex.\u00a0: \u00e9poux, doux, jaloux, etc. Mais un \u00ab\u00a0L\u00a0\u00bben plus d\u2019un \u00ab\u00a0X\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0! Voil\u00e0 qui est bien curieux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a careful examination of the original acts listed in the PRDH database4<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0reveals that the priest Antoine did indeed sign \u201cProulx\u201d at the bottom of the acts of baptisms, marriages and burials that he celebrated. This spelling is first noted on October 23, 1751, in the Yamaska register (Proulx is indeed found in the Oka register at the same time, but it is a register reconstituted after a fire).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mais la fantaisie du cur\u00e9 Proulx pourrait bien avoir son origine en France m\u00eame! En effet, la graphie \u00ab\u00a0Proulx\u00a0\u00bb s\u2019y retrouve aussi. Ainsi dans l\u2019acte de mariage du 16 juillet 1748 de Pierre Proulx et Louise Robineau, dans la paroisse de St-Martin de M\u00e9on (Maine et Loire), on lit bien \u00ab\u00a0Proulx\u00a0\u00bb5<\/a><\/sup>. These are the probable ancestors of Ren\u00e9 Proulx, husband of Marguerite Brunet, married in Deschambault in 1820. The priest Antoine Proulx may well have learned this usage through his contacts with other priests from France. This is a plausible hypothesis, but it cannot be verified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marriage certificate of Pierre Proulx and Louise Robineau, July 16, 1748.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The appearance of the spelling Proulx in notarized contracts also dates from the last quarter of the 18th century. It was first observed on September 29, 1776, by notary Dufault of Montreal, in the marriage contract of Marianne Proulx, daughter of Alexis Proulx, of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures. She is the cousin of Antoine whose marriage he celebrates the next day in Terrebonne. Did the priest and the notary get together? Other notaries will gradually follow the example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An examination of the registers after 1800 reveals an increasing use of the Proulx spelling until it becomes definitively established after 1850. The explanation seems to me to be twofold. First, six Proulx priests were ordained between 1828 and 1860. One of them, Louis Proulx, a native of Baie-du-Febvre and great-cousin of Antoine, is an important figure. He was successively professor at the seminary of St-Hyacinthe, director of the college of Sainte-Anne de La Pocati\u00e8re, pastor of at least four parishes, including that of the cathedral of Quebec, and finally grand vicar of the diocese of Quebec6<\/a><\/sup>. This priest, although baptized under the patronymic of Proux, signed Proulx. From then on, the priests who were contemporaries of Abb\u00e9s Proulx most probably and progressively adopted the spelling \u201cProulx\u201d as the norm and imposed it in their parishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the years 1830-1850 marked the beginning of public school in Lower Canada. The children who were now literate adopted the spelling imposed on them by their schoolmasters and schoolmistresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are, of course, hypotheses. In the absence of further empirical verification, they have the merit of being logical and above all plausible. For the moment, we will be satisfied with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montr\u00e9al<\/p>\n\n\n\n

jean_pierre.proulx@sympatico.ca<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Notes<\/p>\n\n\n

  1. Roland Jacob, Votre nom et son histoire, Montr\u00e9al, \u00c9ditions de l\u2019Homme, 2006 and 2015; Geneanet, http:\/\/www.geneanet.org\/nom-de-famille\/PROUST (accessed April 2, 2015). \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  2. P. P\u00e9gon, \u00ab\u00a0Origine \u00e9tymologique du nom Prou (Proulx)\u00a0\u00bb,\u00a0M\u00e9moires de la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 g\u00e9n\u00e9alogique canadienne-fran\u00e7aise<\/em>, 21, 2 (1970) 103. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  3. J.-B. Allaire, Dictionnaire biographique du clerg\u00e9 canadien-fran\u00e7ais<\/em>, 1910, Montr\u00e9al\u00a0: Imprimerie de l\u2019\u00c9cole Catholique des Sourds-Muets, p. 451. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  4. PRDH-IGD<\/em>\u00a0(Programme de recherche en d\u00e9mographie historique), Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al, 1999-2015,\u00a0www.genealogie.umontreal.ca\/fr\/ \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  5. Archives d\u00e9partementales de Maine et Loire, parish of St-Martin in M\u00e9on, July 16, 1748. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  6. Honorius Provost, \u00ab\u00a0Proulx, Louis\u00a0\u00bb, dans\u00a0Dictionary of Canadian Biography<\/em>, [online]. http:\/\/www.biographi.ca\/en\/bio\/proulx_louis_1804_1871_10F.html. (accessed June 11, 2016). \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u00a0Le myst\u00e8re du fameux \u00ab LX \u00bb des ProulxUne fantaisie de l\u2019abb\u00e9 Antoine Proulx Par Jean-Pierre Proulx NOTE : Cet article a paru d\u2019abord dans les M\u00e9moires de la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9<\/p>\n

    Continue ReadingOur family name and its evolution<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":135,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/fullwidth-page.php","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"Roland Jacob, Votre nom et son histoire, Montr\u00e9al, \u00c9ditions de l\u2019Homme, 2006 et 2015; Geneanet, http:\/\/www.geneanet.org\/nom-de-famille\/PROUST (consult\u00e9 le 2 avril 2015).\",\"id\":\"20c600ca-8f67-43ae-87c1-3783a3aa7822\"},{\"content\":\"P. P\u00e9gon, \u00ab\u00a0Origine \u00e9tymologique du nom Prou (Proulx)\u00a0\u00bb,\u00a0M\u00e9moires de la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 g\u00e9n\u00e9alogique canadienne-fran\u00e7aise<\/em>, 21, 2 (1970) 103.\",\"id\":\"44cf1111-1d93-4d21-9b0d-ebddf5b392a9\"},{\"content\":\"J.-B. Allaire, Dictionnaire biographique du clerg\u00e9 canadien-fran\u00e7ais<\/em>, 1910, Montr\u00e9al\u00a0: Imprimerie de l\u2019\u00c9cole Catholique des Sourds-Muets, p. 451.\",\"id\":\"45461faf-2beb-452f-a36e-7c38fa2cc757\"},{\"content\":\"PRDH<\/em>\u00a0(Programme de recherche en d\u00e9mographie historique), Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al, 1999-2015,\u00a0www.genealogie.umontreal.ca\/fr\/\",\"id\":\"d6bd5ab0-4a19-4a39-9847-2a1bc264edb3\"},{\"content\":\"Archives d\u00e9partementales de Maine et Loire, paroisse St-Martin \u00e0 M\u00e9on, 16 juillet 1748.\",\"id\":\"8a7f7dd2-64c7-4fe8-aa7e-97ec5219d2d0\"},{\"content\":\"Honorius Provost, \u00ab\u00a0Proulx, Louis\u00a0\u00bb, dans\u00a0Dictionnaire biographique du Canada<\/em>, [en ligne]. http:\/\/www.biographi.ca\/fr\/bio\/proulx_louis_1804_1871_10F.html. (consult\u00e9 le 11 juin 2016).\",\"id\":\"9ae5d8fd-8772-4659-81d1-12e535e10445\"}]"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"trp-custom-language-flag":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Gilles","author_link":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/author\/gilles\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\u00a0Le myst\u00e8re du fameux \u00ab LX \u00bb des ProulxUne fantaisie de l\u2019abb\u00e9 Antoine Proulx Par Jean-Pierre Proulx NOTE : Cet article a paru d\u2019abord dans les M\u00e9moires de la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9Continue ReadingNotre patronyme et son \u00e9volution","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/228"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2803,"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/228\/revisions\/2803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillesproulx.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}