Many of the original documents which will be encountered when researching Jersey families are written in French. Here is a list of some of the words which will be found in these documents and their meanings
A
Acheter
to buy
acteur
plaintiff
acquereur
purchaser
appartient
belonging to
approuver
to approve, agree
apres
after
assermenter
to swear in
aujourd'hui
today
autre
other
B
bail
lease
bailleur
lessor
baptême
baptism
baptême en particulier
private baptism
baptême à la maison
baptism at home
bas
low, sometimes lower
beau pere
father-in-law, stepfather
beau fils
son-in-law, stepson
beau frere
brother-in-law
belle fille
daughter-in-law, stepdaughter
belle mere
mother-in-law, stepmother
belle soeur
sister-in-law
beau parents
parents of spouse
boisseaux
bushels
C
carriere
quarry
cession
transfer
chacun
each
chemin
road, path
chose
thing
coignoissance
awareness
courtil
field
curé
living
curateur
guardian
D
defunct
deceased
demi
half
deiers
pennies
deffenseur
defendant
delesse
widow
douaire
widow, in will being divided
douit
fresh water ditch or stream
E
entier
the whole
entre
between
est
east
F
femme
wife
fermier
farmer
fief
area owned by a seigneur
forgeron
blacksmith
fournivont
produced
fraerie
expenses
frere
brother
fils
son
fils puisne
next born son
fille
daughter
froment
wheat
G
garantirent
guaranteed
garenne
rabbit warren
gardien
guardian
grandmere
grandmother
grand oncle
grand uncle
grandpere
grandfather
grand tant
grand aunt
grange
granary
H
haut
high,higher
heritage
inheritance
hers
heirs
J
jeunesse
youth
jouira
will enjoy ownership of
jurer sur serment
swear on oath
L
leurs
theirs
les dits
the said
livres
pounds
locataire
lessee
M
maison
house
maree
tide
marraine
godmother
meneur
minor
mercier
habadasher
mesnage
paddock
meubles
chattels, furniture
minue, mynue
contract
N
nord
north
O
ouie de paroisse
audience of the parish
ouest
west
P
paiera
will pay
parenté
near relation, close family
paroisse
parish
parrain
godfather
par retrait
theright of a family to buy back inherited land sold within 40 days
