
For those of you who have some French in your family tree, there are several French-American newspapers that have been published over the last hundred or so years that may help you find some information and stories about your ancestors. Most of the French language newspapers were published in the upper New England states and Louisiana, but also a few in the upper Mid-West and New York City.
Listed are only those that are available online. As always, there are more available via microfilm and in the original form via libraries and archives.
If there are duplicate titles, they are offered online by more than one collection. It is always a good idea to search both, since the date ranges may be different. And some were published in both English and French, even though the title might be in English.
(Updated March 2023; recently added links are in BOLD)
Florida
- Dania Beach – Soleil de la Floride ( 840 issues )
- Ft. Lauderdale – Francophone international ( 197 issues )
- Pompano Beach – Le Courrier de Floride
Hawaii
- Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, 1856-1888 – The Pacific commercial advertiser.
Louisiana
- Abbeville, La., 1856-1906 – The Meridional.
- Baton-Rouge, La., 1819-1856 – Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume]
- Bringier, Paroisse Saint-Jacques, Louisiane, 1846-1860 – Le messager. [volume]
- Convent, La., 1865-1883 – Le Louisianais. [volume]
- False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.], 1858-1862 – Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume]
- Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou., 1849-1872 – The Planters’ banner.
- Houma, La., 1878-1939 – The Houma courier.
- Lucy, La., 1853-1942 – Le Meschacébé.
- Marksville [La.], 1859-186? – The Avoyelles pelican. [volume]
- Napoleonville [La.], 185?-1895 – Pioneer of Assumption.
- Napoleonville [La.], 1850-185? – Le pionnier de l’Assomption.
- Natchitoches, La., 1865-1868 – The Semi-weekly Natchitoches times. [volume]
- Natchitoches, La.] 1859-1864 – Natchitoches union. [volume]
- New Iberia, La., 1885-1902 – New Iberia enterprise.
- New Orleans – Courrier de la Louisiane
- New Orleans – Echo Von New Orleans
- New Orleans – L’Abeille
- New Orleans – L’Abeille de la Nouvelle
- New Orleans – L’abeille de la Nouvelle-Orleans
- New Orleans – L’Ami des Lois
- New Orleans – L’Ami des Lois & Journal du Soir
- New Orleans – Le Courrier de la Lonisiane
- New Orleans – L’Orleanais
- New Orleans – Le Propagateur catholique
- New Orleans, La., 1872-1882 – The weekly Louisianian. [volume]
- Opelousas, La., 1852-1910 – The Opelousas courier.
- Opelousas, La., 1868-1878 – The Opelousas journal. [volume]
- Opelousas, La., 1890-1921 – St. Landry clarion.
- Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La., 1844-1855 – The St. Landry whig. [volume]
- Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La., 1855-1863 – The Opelousas patriot. [volume]
- Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.], 1848-1858 – Southern sentinel. [volume]
- Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville, La., 1858-1864 – Gazette and sentinel. [volume]
- Pointe-a-la-Hache, La., 1909-1925 – Lower coast gazette.
- Thibodaux, La., 1861-1866 – La sentinelle de Thibodaux. [volume]
- Thibodaux, La., 1898-1905 – The weekly Thibodaux sentinel. [volume]
- Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, La., 191?-1959 – Thibodaux commercial journal.
- Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.], 1875-1898 – The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume]
- Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La., 1872-1883 – The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume]
- Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La., 1865-19?? – The Lafayette advertiser.
- West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.], 1856-1925 – Sugar planter. [volume]
Maine
- Biddeford – La Justice de Biddeford
- La Justice
- La Justice De Biddeford
Massachusetts
- Boston – Courier de Boston
- Fall River – L’Echo du Canada
- Springfield – The English Department of Le Citoyen Franco-Americain
- Worcester – L’Etendard National
- Worchester – L’Opinion Publique
- Worcester – Le Travailleur
Michigan
- Bay City – L’Ouest Français
Minnesota
- Minneapolis – Echo de l’Ouest
- Minneapolis, Minn., 1883-1929 – Echo de l’ouest.
- Minneapolis, Minn. – Echo de l’ouest (1885-01-14 – 12/28/1923)
New Hampshire
- Manchester – Echo des Canadiens
- Manchester – L’Avenir National
- Manchester – Le Canado-Américain
- L’Impartial
New York
- Lansing – Le Courrier des Etats-Unis
- New York City – Courrier des États-Unis
- New York City – Le Canadien des Etats-Unis
- New York City – L’Echo des Deux Mondes
- New York City – Le Messager franco-américain
- New York City – L’Echo des Deux Mondes
- New York City – Les Parisiennes
- New York City – Paris-New York : journal hebdomadaire pour le développement des relations financières, industrielles et commerciales entre la France et les États-Unis
Rhode Island
- Woonsocket – La Cloche du Dimanche
- Woonsocket – La Tribune de Woonsocket
- Newport – Gazette Francoise
Vermont
- Montréal, 1839-1840 – Le Patriote canadien.
France
- Paris – Le Franco-américain
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
2 replies on “Historical French American Newspapers Online”
Another French publication is ‘Le Message’, published for many years in Lewiston, Maine.
Steve,
I’ve looked, but can’t find any digitized issues of that newspaper available online. If you have the url for it, please let me know and I will add to my list of links.
Thanks