The Lost Code

The Rise of Seigneuries: Space

Land Division on île d'Orléans in 1709

Musée de la civilisation, Séminaire de Québec archival holdings. Québec government map from the year 1709 (detail). Gédéon de Catalogne, Jean-Baptiste de Couagne. 1921. Idra Labrie Perspective, photographer. No. T-12

Satellite image of île d'Orléans

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The seigneurial system originated around Québec City, Montréal, and Trois-Rivières, the main settlements of the new colony. Little by little the concession spread out. New rangs (or ranges) were created within old seigneuries, and new seigneuries were formed. Rows of censives were called rangs, or ranges. In 1760 seigneuries extended along both shores of the St. Lawrence River from La Malbaie to Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Rimouski to Beauharnois. Over 75% of the colonial population lived on them.