Doucet

Doucet is a French language surname, especially popular in Canada, the former area of Acadia in particular (now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Quebec and New England).

Doucet family crest

As a result of the Great Expulsion in 1755 and later from Acadia, Doucets are also amongst the Cajuns and Creoles of Louisiana.

The first Doucet to reach North America is thought to be Major Germain Doucet dit La Verdure, a French military officer at Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal) in 1632 who attempted to defend what is now Maine and Acadia from invasions from Boston in 1654. Many Doucets in North America trace their lineage to Germain Doucet. [1]

Variants and pronunciation

Common variants include "Doucett" and "Doucette". Most Doucets in Canada pronounce their surname as "DOU-set" or "Dou-SET", rather than "Dou-SAY" as modern French might require. Some argue this pronunciation may derive from dialects of sixteenth-century French such as was found in Brittany, a common origin of French-Canadian settlers; however Dou-SAY is the most popular pronunciation among Cajuns in Louisiana.

Notable people

References

  1. Les Doucet du Monde. "Descendants of Germain Doucet, Sieur de LaVerdure". Retrieved 2007-05-06.
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