Toise

A toise (symbol: T) is a unit of measure for length, area and volume originating in pre-revolutionary France. In North America, it was used in colonial French establishments in early New France, French Louisiana (La Louisiane), and Quebec. The Portuguese toise (in Portuguese: toesa) was used in Portugal, Brazil and other parts of the Portuguese Empire until the adoption of the Metric system.

Definition

Unit of Length

• 1 Toise was exactly 6 pieds (feet) (about 1.949 metres) in France until 1812.
• 1 Toise was exactly 2 metres in France between 1812 and 1 January 1840 (mesures usuelles).
• 1 Toise = 1.8 metres in Switzerland.
• 1 Toesa = 6 pés (feet) = 1,98 m in Portugal.

Unit of area

• 1 Toise was about 3.799 square metres or, of course, a square French toise, as a measure for land and masonry area in France before 10 December 1799.

Unit of volume

• 1 Toise = 8.0 cubic metres (20th century Haiti)

Origin

Historical French unit. Early Louisiana in the United States.

See also

• French units of measurement (to 1795)
• Obsolete Portuguese units of measurement

External links

• Sizes.com toise page
• Reference from UN United Nations. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Statistical Office of the United Nations