Greetings

You should google "dit names", and read a number of the articals to get a better feel for them. Here is a short version; When France was sending troop to its North American Colonies (New France, Arcadia) the common soldiers were given these dit name much as our troops now have serial numbers. I do not know if this practice was just troops sent to what is now Canada or if the French army used it too. French troops in Canada ended with the French and Indian War.

Now Marchaterre was the dit name for a soldier who was sent here in the late 17th century. His name was Antoine Dandurand dit Marchaterre, he married and had a family here, and supposedly all Dandurands and Marchaterres in North America are his descendants.

I have heard of Marchaterres anglicizing to Walker so if you are a Marchaterre, welcome cousin. I think you will find a few more generations before you get back to France.

Paul Nickerson
in Westbrook, Me