Great collections of Quebec Genealogy records and historical archives
The Great Collections bring together several specialized historical archive holdings available through Genealogy Quebec. They complement the site's other research tools by providing access to documentary sources focused on different periods, regions and subjects.
Each collection covers a particular period, region or type of document. Some can reveal details that are difficult to find elsewhere, while others add to information discovered in the Drouin Collection records, LAFRANCE or Genealogy Quebec's other research tools.
The list below presents the Great Collections that are currently available and the number of records accessible in each one.
You can also use the Genealogy Quebec search engine to search the Great Collections along with more than 100 million historical records.
Great Collections and the number of available records
|
Collection
|
Number of records
|
|
Dossiers généalogiques Drouin
|
49022
|
|
Féminine Gabriel-Drouin
|
32702
|
|
Féminine Joseph-Drouin
|
50169
|
|
Fiches Acadiennes
|
17390
|
|
Fichier Histor
|
42333
|
|
Masculine Gabriel-Drouin
|
34933
|
|
Masculine Joseph-Drouin
|
51907
|
|
Petit Drouin
|
14946
|
What types of records are available in the Great Collections?
The Great Collections provide access to a broad range of historical records drawn from specialized archival holdings. Depending on the collection, researchers can explore genealogical directories, indexes, historical archives, family files and other documentary resources spanning different periods in the history of Quebec and French North America.
Every holding has its own focus and complements Genealogy Quebec's other tools. Some are especially useful for a particular region, period or line of inquiry, while others can uncover details that are difficult to locate in general databases. A number of these holdings were assembled or preserved by the Drouin Institute so that this documentary heritage would remain accessible to researchers.
By consulting several collections together, researchers can often confirm a fact, gain additional historical context or uncover new leads for continuing their family history research.
How to use the Great Collections
The Great Collections are particularly useful for taking family history research further or confirming information found in other documentary holdings. Depending on the period, region or type of record being investigated, some collections will be more relevant than others.
The table above provides a quick overview of the available collections and their record counts, helping you identify the holdings most suited to your research.
For the most effective results, we recommend beginning with the Genealogy Quebec search engine to conduct a broad search, then exploring the Great Collections when you need specialized holdings or want to investigate a promising lead in greater depth.
By comparing information across several collections, you improve your chances of confirming family relationships, locating supporting documents and enriching your ancestors' stories with a wider range of historical sources.