Daily Ancestormajeur
Majeur means "of legal age" in French records; fils majeur or fille majeure is a son or daughter who had reached the legal age of majority.
The age of majority changed over time. In France under the Ancien Régime it was generally 25, depending on local custom, and from 1792 it was 21. In Quebec it was 21 from 1782 until 1971, after a brief period at 25.
Majeur in a marriage entry is a useful age clue. A groom called fils majeur had reached that age, so he was born at least that many years before the wedding.
As seen in a recordMarriage entry in a Catholic parish register, Quebec, 1840s
Félix Morinville, fils majeur de feu Hyacinthe Morinville et de Pélagie Mercuret
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How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "majeur." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/french/majeur. Last checked 2026-10-28.