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{| border="0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 240); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
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|Country=France
| align="center" style="font-family: verdana; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238);" | '''Beginners Corner'''
|Name=France
|-
|Type=Country
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*[[France Getting Started|Getting Started]]  
}}{{breadcrumb
*[[France What's the next step?|What's the next step?]]  
| link1=[[Europe|Europe]]
*[[France Finding your ancestor in the records|Finding your ancestor in the records]]  
| link2=
*[[France Resources|France Resources]]
| link3=
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| link5=[[France Genealogy|France]]
}}__NOTOC__
Guide to '''France ancestry, family history and genealogy''': parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.
==Information==
France is a country in Western Europe bordered by [[Belgium Genealogy|Belgium]], [[Luxembourg Genealogy|Luxembourg]], [[Germany Genealogy|Germany]], [[Switzerland Genealogy|Switzerland]], [[Italy Genealogy|Italy]], [[Monaco Genealogy|Monaco]], [[Spain Genealogy|Spain]], and [[Andorra Genealogy|Andorra]]. The French Republic was established in 1792. The official language is French.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "France," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France, accessed 23 March 2016.</ref>


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==France Map==
Click on the specific department name either on the maps above or in the list below to access the FamilySearch Wiki article for that department.
{|
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| align="center" style="font-family: verdana; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" | '''News and Events'''
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{{FranceMap}}
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*Hot off the Press!
{{French Overseas Territories with internal links to Wiki pages}}
*Current Events
== Jurisdictions ==
 
=== Departments ===
more...  
Today France is divided into 96 departments and 5 overseas departments. This number has changed over the years. In 1790 there were 83 and at the height of Napoleon's reign there were as many as 130. Records are kept on the town level, but it is necessary to know which department the town is located.


'''Note:''' The numbers in parentheses following the department name correspond to the numbers on the map above.  ''Territoire-de-Belfort'' does not have a number on the map; it is located immediately below Haut-Rhin (68).  The ''(1)'' on the map corresponds to the Paris area shown on the left inset.
{|
|-
|-
| align="center" style="font-family: verdana; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" | '''Topics'''
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right:5px;">
|-
  <li>[[Ain, France Genealogy|Ain]] (01)</li>
| align="left" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(249, 243, 253); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" |  
  <li>[[Aisne, France Genealogy|Aisne]] (02)</li>
*[[France Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]  
  <li>[[Allier, France Genealogy|Allier]] (03)</li>
*[[France Biography|Biography]]  
  <li>[[Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France Genealogy|Alpes-de-Haute-Provence]] (04)</li>
*[[France Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]  
  <li>[[Hautes-Alpes, France Genealogy|Hautes-Alpes]] (05)</li>
*[[France Census|Census]]  
  <li>[[Alpes-Maritimes, France Genealogy|Alpes-Maritimes]] (06)</li>
*[[France Church History|Church History]]  
  <li>[[Ardèche, France Genealogy|Ardèche]] (07)</li>
*[[France Church Records|Church Records]]  
  <li>[[Ardennes, France Genealogy|Ardennes]] (08)</li>
*[[France Civil Registration- Vital Records|Civil Registration]]  
  <li>[[Ariège, France Genealogy|Ariège]] (09)</li>
*[[France Directories|Directories]]  
  <li>[[Aube, France Genealogy|Aube]] (10)</li>
*[[France Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]]  
  <li>[[Aude, France Genealogy|Aude]] (11)</li>
*[[France Ethnic Groups|Ethnic Groups]]  
  <li>[[Aveyron, France Genealogy|Aveyron]] (12)</li>
*[[France Gazetteers|Gazetteers]]  
  <li>[[Bas-Rhin, France Genealogy|Bas-Rhin]] (67)</li>
*[[France Genealogy|Genealogy]]  
  <li>[[Bouches-du-Rhône, France Genealogy|Bouches-du-Rhône]] (13)</li>
*[[France Heraldry|Heraldry]]  
  <li>[[Calvados, France Genealogy|Calvados]] (14)</li>
*[[France Historical Geography|Historical Geography]]  
  <li>[[Cantal, France Genealogy|Cantal]] (15)</li>
*[[France History|History]]  
  <li>[[Charente, France Genealogy|Charente]] (16)</li>
*[[France Huguenots|Huguenots]]  
  <li>[[Charente-Maritime, France Genealogy|Charente-Maritime]] (17)</li>
*[[Insee Number|Insee Number]]  
  <li>[[Cher, France Genealogy|Cher]] (18)</li>
*[[France Language and Languages|Language and Languages]]  
  <li>[[Corrèze, France Genealogy|Corrèze]] (19)</li>
*[[France Maps|Maps]]  
  <li>[[Corse-du-Sud, France Genealogy|Corse-du-Sud]](2A)</li>
*[[France Military Records|Military Records]]  
  <li>[[Haute-Corse, France Genealogy|Haute-Corse]] (2B)</li>
*[[France Minorities|Minorities]]  
  <li>[[Côte d'Or, France Genealogy|Côte d'Or]] (21)</li>
*[[France Names, Personal|Names, Personal]]  
  <li>[[Côtes d'Armor, France Genealogy|Côtes d'Armor]] (22)</li>
*[[France Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]  
  <li>[[Creuse, France Genealogy|Creuse]] (23)</li>
*[[France Newspapers|Newspapers]]  
  <li>[[Dordogne, France Genealogy|Dordogne]] (24)</li>
*[[France Nobility|Nobility]]  
  <li>[[Doubs, France Genealogy|Doubs]] (25)</li>
*[[France Notarial Records|Notarial Records]]  
  <li>[[Drôme, France Genealogy|Drôme]] (26)</li>
*[[France Periodicals|Periodicals]]  
  <li>[[Eure, France Genealogy|Eure]] (27)</li>
*[[France Probate Records|Probate Records]]  
  <li>[[Eure-et-Loir, France Genealogy|Eure-et-Loir]] (28)</li>
*[[France Record Selection Table|Record Selection Table]]  
  <li>[[Finistère, France Genealogy|Finistère]] (29)</li>
*[[France Societies|Societies]]  
  <li>[[Gard, France Genealogy|Gard]] (30)</li>
*[[France Search Strategies for Births, Marriages and Deaths|Vital Record Search Strategies]]
  <li>[[Haute-Garonne, France Genealogy|Haute-Garonne]] (31)</li>
 
  <li>[[Gers, France Genealogy|Gers]] (32)</li>
|-
  <li>[[Gironde, France Genealogy|Gironde]](33)</li>
| align="center" style="font-family: verdana; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(238, 238, 238); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" | '''Helpful Websites'''
  <li>[[Hérault, France Genealogy|Hérault]] (34)</li>
|-
  <li>[[Haut-Rhin, France Genealogy|Haut-Rhin]] (68)</li>
| align="left" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(249, 243, 253); -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" |  
  <li>[[Ille-et-Vilaine, France Genealogy|Ille-et-Vilaine]] (35)</li>
*[http://www.geneanet.org/ GeneaNet]  
  <li>[[Indre, France Genealogy|Indre]] (36)</li>
*[http://wiki.geneanet.org/ GeneaWiki]  
  <li>[[Indre-et-Loire, France Genealogy|Indre-et-Loire]] (37)</li>
*[http://www.genealogylinks.net/europe/france/index.html France Genealogy Links]  
  <li>[[Isère, France Genealogy|Isère]] (38)</li>
*[http://genealogy.about.com/od/france/ French Genealogy &amp; Family History]  
  <li>[[Jura, France Genealogy|Jura]] (39)</li>
*[http://www.cyndislist.com/france.htm Cyndi's List: France]  
  <li>[[Landes, France Genealogy|Landes]] (40)</li>
*[http://www.gefrance.com/ Genealogy and Family History in France]  
  <li>[[Loir-et-Cher, France Genealogy|Loir-et-Cher]] (41)</li>
*[http://www.kindredtrails.com/france.html France Genealogy]  
  <li>[[Loire, France Genealogy|Loire]] (42)</li>
*[http://genforum.genealogy.com/france/ France Genealogy Forum]  
  <li>[[Haute-Loire, France Genealogy|Haute-Loire]] (43)</li>
*[http://www.frenchlines.com/passenger_index_en.php Le Havre Passenger List 1864-1936]  
  <li>[[Loire-Atlantique, France Genealogy|Loire-Atlantique]] (44)</li>
*[http://anom.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr/caomec2/ Online records for Algeria]
  <li>[[Loiret, France Genealogy|Loiret]] (45)</li>
*[http://infobel.com/France/ French Telephonedirectory]
  <li>[[Lot, France Genealogy|Lot]] (46)</li>
 
  <li>[[Lot-et-Garonne, France Genealogy|Lot-et-Garonne]] (47)</li>
<br>  
  <li>[[Lozère, France Genealogy|Lozère]] (48)</li>
 
  <li>[[Maine-et-Loire, France Genealogy|Maine-et-Loire]] (49)</li>
  <li>[[Manche, France Genealogy|Manche]] (50)</li>
  <li>[[Marne, France Genealogy|Marne]] (51)</li>
  <li>[[Haute-Marne, France Genealogy|Haute-Marne]] (52)</li>
  <li>[[Mayenne, France Genealogy|Mayenne]] (53)</li>
  <li>[[Meurthe-et-Moselle, France Genealogy|Meurthe-et-Moselle]] (54)</li>
  <li>[[Meuse, France Genealogy|Meuse]] (55)</li>
  <li>[[Morbihan, France Genealogy|Morbihan]] (56)</li>
  <li>[[Moselle, France Genealogy|Moselle]] (57)</li>
  <li>[[Nièvre, France Genealogy|Nièvre]] (58)</li>
  <li>[[Nord, France Genealogy|Nord]] (59)</li>
  <li>[[Oise, France Genealogy|Oise]] (60)</li>
  <li>[[Orne, France Genealogy|Orne]] (61)</li>
  <li>[[Pas-de-Calais, France Genealogy|Pas-de-Calais]] (62)</li>
  <li>[[Puy-de-Dôme, France Genealogy|Puy-de-Dôme]] (63)</li>
  <li>[[Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France Genealogy|Pyrénées-Atlantiques]] (64)</li>
  <li>[[Hautes-Pyrénées, France Genealogy|Hautes-Pyrénées]] (65)</li>
  <li>[[Pyrénées-Orientales, France Genealogy|Pyrénées-Orientales]](66)</li>
  <li>[[Rhône, France Genealogy|Rhône]] (69)</li>
  <li>[[Haute-Saône, France Genealogy|Haute-Saône]] (70)</li>
  <li>[[Saône-et-Loire, France Genealogy|Saône-et-Loire]] (71)</li>
  <li>[[Sarthe, France Genealogy|Sarthe]] (72)</li>
  <li>[[Savoie, France Genealogy|Savoie]] (73)</li>
  <li>[[Haute-Savoie, France Genealogy|Haute-Savoie]] (74)</li>
  <li>[[Paris, France Genealogy|Paris]] (75)</li>
  <li>[[Seine-Maritime, France Genealogy|Seine-Maritime]] (76)</li>
  <li>[[Seine-et-Marne, France Genealogy|Seine-et-Marne]] (77)</li>
  <li>[[Yvelines, France Genealogy|Yvelines]] (78)</li>
  <li>[[Deux-Sèvres, France Genealogy|Deux-Sèvres]] (79)</li>
  <li>[[Somme, France Genealogy|Somme]] (80)</li>
  <li>[[Tarn, France Genealogy|Tarn]] (81)</li>
  <li>[[Tarn-et-Garonne, France Genealogy|Tarn-et-Garonne]] (82)</li>
  <li>[[Var, France Genealogy|Var]] (83)</li>
  <li>[[Vaucluse, France Genealogy|Vaucluse]] (84)</li>
  <li>[[Vendée, France Genealogy|Vendée]] (85)</li>
  <li>[[Vienne, France Genealogy|Vienne]] (86)</li>
  <li>[[Haute-Vienne, France Genealogy|Haute-Vienne]] (87)</li>
  <li>[[Vosges, France Genealogy|Vosges]] (88)</li>
  <li>[[Yonne, France Genealogy|Yonne]] (89)</li>
  <li>[[Territoire-de-Belfort, France Genealogy|Territoire-de-Belfort]] (90)</li>
  <li>[[Essonne, France Genealogy|Essonne]] (91)</li>
  <li>[[Hauts-de-Seine, France Genealogy|Hauts-de-Seine]] (92)</li>
  <li>[[Seine-Saint-Denis, France Genealogy|Seine-St.Denis]] (93)</li>
  <li>[[Val-de-Marne, France Genealogy|Val-de-Marne]] (94)</li>
  <li>[[Val-d’Oise, France Genealogy|Val-d’Oise]] (95)</li>
</ul>
|}
|}
 
On 1 January 2021, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin were merged and became known as the [[European Collectivity of Alsace.]]
{{Forum badge
<br>
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'''Territories'''<br>
| link = http://forums.familysearch.org/en/forumdisplay.php?f=8
Many of the records of the French overseas territories are on-line at [http://anom.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr/ ''Les Archives nationales d’outre-mer'' (the Overseas National Archives)]''.
| name = France Research Fourms
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[[Image:400px-Tour eiffel at sunrise from the trocadero.jpg|right|200px|400px-Tour eiffel at sunrise from the trocadero.jpg]]  
 
== Getting started with French research  ==
 
Welcome to the France page! FamilySearch Wiki is a community website dedicated to helping people throughout the world learn how to find their ancestors. Through the France page you can learn how to find, use, and analyze French records of genealogical value. The content is variously targeted to beginners, intermediate, and expert researchers. Here you will find helpful research tools and research guidance. Please visit the help page to learn more about using the site. The French Page is a work in progress, your contributions and feedback are essential! For help with specific areas in France, click [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Category:France here] for a list of locations and topics.  
 
''See the tutorials at the FamilySearch Learning Center on basic ''[https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?fq=place%3A%22France%22 ''French Research'']''and on&nbsp;''[https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?fq=place%3A%22France%22 ''Reading French Handwritten Records'']''.''
 
== History of France  ==
 
See the Facebook page ''[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Histoire-de-France-sites-et-blogs/348011018559505 "Histoire de France - sites et blogs"]'' for more information.
 
== Jurisdictions  ==
 
Prior to March 1790 France was organized into provinces.&nbsp; Several administrative regions of France still carry the names of the former provinces.
 
==== Historic Provinces (and their capitals)  ====
 
{| width="99%" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
|-
| valign="top" |
*[[Alsace|Alsace (Strasbourg)]]
*[[Angoumois|Angoumois (Angoulême)]]
*[[Anjou|Anjou (Angers)]]
*[[Artois|Artois (Arras)]]
*[[Aunis|Aunis (La Rochelle)]]
*[[Auvergne|Auvergne (Clermont-Ferrand)]]
*[[Berry|Berry (Bourges)]]
*[[Bourbonnais|Bourbonnais (Moulins)]]
*[[Brittany|Brittany (Rennes)]]
*[[Burgundy|Burgundy (Dijon)]]
*[[Bearn|Béarn (Pau)]]
*[[Champagne|Champagne Troyes)]]
*[[Comtat|Comtat Venaissin (Papal Fief)]]
*[[Corsica|Corsica (Ajaccio)]]
*[[Dauphine|Dauphiné (Grenoble)]]
*[[Flandres and Hainaut|Flandres and Hainaut (Lille)]]
*[[Foix|Foix (Foix)]]
*[[Franche-Comte|Franche-Comté (Besançon)]]
*[[Guyenne and Gascony|Guyenne and Gascony (Bordeaux)]]
*[[Ile-de-France|Île-de-France (Paris)]]
 
| valign="top" |
*[[Languedoc|Languedoc (Toulouse)]]
*[[Limousin|Limousin (Limoges)]]
*[[Lorraine|Lorraine (Nancy)]]
*[[Maine, France|Maine (Le Mans)]]
*[[Marche|Marche (Guéret)]]
*[[Montbelliard|Montbelliard, Fief of Württemberg]]
*[[Mulhouse (Imperial Free City)|Imperial Free City of Mulhouse]]
*[[Nice|Nice, Sardinian Fief]]
*[[Nivernais|Nivernais (Nevers)]]
*[[Normandy|Normandy (Rouen)]]
*[[Orleanais|Orléanais (Orléans)]]
*[[Picardy|Picardy (Amiens)]]
*[[Poitou|Poitou (Poitiers)]]
*[[Provence|Provence (Aix-en-Provence)]]
*[[Rhone-Alpes|Rhône-Alpes (Lyon)]]
*[[Roussillon|Roussillon (Perpignan)]]
*[[Saintonge|Saintonge (Saintes)]]
*[[Savoy|Savoy, a Sardinian Fief]]
*[[Touraine|Touraine (Tours)]]
*[[Trois-Eveches|Trois-Évêchés (Metz, Toul and Verdun)]]
 
|}
 
==== Departments  ====
 
Today France is divided into 96 departments plus 4 overseas departments. This number has changed over the years, in 1790 there were 83 and at the height of Napoleon's reign there were as many as 130. Records are kept on the town level, but one needs to know in which department the town is located.  
 
{| width="99%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
|-
| 01 [[Ain|Ain]]
| 2B [[Haute-Corse|Haute-Corse]]
| 40 [[Landes|Landes]]
| [[Oise|60 Oise]]
| [[Somme|80 Somme]]
|-
| [[Aisne|02 Aisne]]
| [[Côte d'Or|21 Côte d'Or]]
| [[Loir-et-Cher|41 Loir-et-Cher]]
| [[Orne|61 Orne]]
| [[Tarn|81 Tarn]]
|-
| [[Allier|03 Allier]]
| [[Côtes d'Armor|22 Côtes d'Armor]]
| [[Loire|42 Loire]]
| [[Pas-de-Calais|62 Pas-de-Calais]]
| [[Tarn-et-Garonne|82 Tarn-et-Garonne]]
|-
| [[Alpes-de-Haute-Provence|04 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence]]
| [[Creuse|23 Creuse]]
| [[Haute-Loire|43 Haute-Loire]]
| [[Puy-de-Dôme|63 Puy-de-Dôme]]
| [[Var|83 Var]]
|-
| [[Alpes (Hautes)|05 Alpes(Hautes)]]
| [[Dordogne|24 Dordogne]]
| [[Loire-Atlantique|44 Loire-Atlantique]]
| [[Pyrénéés-Atlantiques|64 Pyrénéés-Atlantiques]]
| [[Vaucluse|84 Vaucluse]]
|-
| [[Alpes-Maritimes|06 Alpes-Maritimes]]
| [[Doubs|25 Doubs]]
| [[Loiret|45 Loiret]]
| [[Pyrénéés(Hautes-)|65 Pyrénéés(Hautes-)]]
| [[Véndée|85 Véndée]]
|-
|-
| [[Ardèche|07 Ardèche]]
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right:5px;">
| [[Drôme|26 Drôme]]
<li>[[French Guiana, France Genealogy|French Guiana]] </li>
| [[Lot|46 Lot]]
<li>[[Guadeloupe, France Genealogy|Guadeloupe]] </li>
| [[Pyrénéés-Orientales|66 Pyrénéés-Orientales]]
<li>[[Martinique, France Genealogy|Martinique]] </li>
| [[Vienne|86 Vienne]]
<li>[[Mayotte, France Genealogy|Mayotte]]</li>
|-
<li>[[Reunion Island, France Genealogy|La Réunion]] </li>
| [[Ardennes|08 Ardennes]]
<li>[[Saint Martin Genealogy|Saint Martin]]</li>
| [[Eure|27 Eure]]
</ul>
| [[Lot-et-Garonne|47 Lot-et-Garonne]]
| 67 [[Bas-Rhin|Bas-Rhin]]
| [[Vienne (Haute-)|87 Vienne (Haute-)]]
|-
| [[Ariège|09 Ariège]]
| [[Eure-et-Loir|28 Eure-et-Loir]]
| [[Lozère|48 Lozère]]
| 68 [[Haut-Rhin|Haut-Rhin]]
| [[Vosges|88 Vosges]]
|-
| [[Aube|10 Aube]]
| [[Finistère|29 Finistère]]
| [[Maine-et-Loire|49 Maine-et-Loire]]
| [[Rhône|69 Rhône]]
| [[Yonne|89 Yonne]]
|-
| [[Aude|11 Aude]]
| [[Gard|30 Gard]]
| [[Manche|50 Manche]]
| [[Saône (Haute-)|70 Saône (Haute-)]]
| [[Territoire-de-Belfort|90 Territoire-de-Belfort]]
|-
| [[Aveyron|12 Aveyron]]
| [[Haute-Garonne|31 Haute-Garonne]]
| [[Marne|51 Marne]]
| [[Saône-et-Loire|71 Saône-et-Loire]]
| [[Essonne|91 Essonne]]
|-
| [[Bouches-du-Rhône|13 Bouches-du-Rhône]]
| [[Gers|32 Gers]]
| [[Marne (Haute-)|52 Marne (Haute-)]]
| [[Sarthe|72 Sarthe]]
| [[Hauts-de-Seine|92 Hauts-de-Seine]]
|-
| [[Calvados|14 Calvados]]
| [[Gironde|33 Gironde]]
| [[Mayenne|53 Mayenne]]
| [[Savoie|73 Savoie]]
| [[Seine-St.Denis|93 Seine-St.Denis]]
|-
| [[Cantal|15 Cantal]]
| [[Hérault|34 Hérault]]
| [[Meurthe-et-Moselle|54 Meurthe-et-Moselle]]
| [[Savoie (Haute-)|74 Savoie (Haute-)]]
| [[Val-de-Marne|94 Val-de-Marne]]
|-
| [[Charente|16 Charente]]
| [[Ille-et-Vilaine (35), Brittany, France|35 Ille-et-Vilaine]]
| [[Meuse|55 Meuse]]
| [[Paris (Ville de)|75 Paris (Ville de)]]
| [[Val-d’Oise|95 Val-d’Oise]]
|-
| [[Charente-Maritime|17 Charente-Maritime]]
| [[Indre|36 Indre]]
| [[Morbihan|56 Morbihan]]
| [[Seine-Maritime|76 Seine-Maritime]]
| [[Guadeloupe|971 Guadeloupe]]
|-
| [[Cher|18 Cher]]
| [[Indre-et-Loire|37 Indre-et-Loire]]
| [[Moselle|57 Moselle]]
| [[Seine-et-Marne|77 Seine-et-Marne]]
| [[Martinique|972 Martinique]]
|-
| [[Corrèze|19 Corrèze]]  
| [[Isère|38 Isère]]  
| [[Nièvre|58 Nièvre]]  
| [[Yvelines|78 Yvelines]]
| [[Guyane|973 ]][[Guyane|Guyane]]
|-
| [[Corse-du-Sud|2A Corse-du-Sud]]
| [[Jura|39 Jura]]
| [[Nord|59 Nord]]
| [[Sèvres (Deux-)|79 Sèvres (Deux-)]]
| [[Reunion Island|974 Réunion]]
|}
|}
 
=== Historic Provinces and their Capitols ===
== Research Tools  ==
{| style="width:100%; vertical-align:top;"
 
|-
*Listing of all [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&countryId=1927089 records collections for France] available on FamilySearch.org.
|
*[https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/images/f/f9/Finding_Records_of_Your_Ancestors_in_France_.pdf Finding Records of your Ancestors in France 1792 to 1880]  
<ul class="column-spacing-fullscreen" style="padding-right:5px;">
*[[France Letter Writing Guide]]  
    <li>[[Alsace|Alsace (Strasbourg)]]</li>
*[https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/images/b/b6/France_Research_Outline.pdf France Research Outline]  
    <li>[[Charente, France Genealogy#Former County of Angoumois|Angoumois (Angoulême)]]</li>
*[[French Archives Online]]  
    <li>[[Anjou|Anjou (Angers)]]</li>
*[[French Handwriting]]  
    <li>[[Pas-de-Calais, France Genealogy#Former Region of Artois|Artois (Arras)]]</li>
*[[French Republican Calendar]]  
    <li>[[Charente-Maritime, France Genealogy#Former Province of Aunis|Aunis (La Rochelle)]]</li>
*[[French Wordlist]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auvergne Auvergne (Clermont-Ferrand)]</li>
*[[Gallica: The French “Library of Congress”]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry,_France Berry (Bourges)]</li>
*[http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/Europe/France.pdf Research Guide for France by BYU]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbonnais Bourbonnais (Moulins)]</li>
*[[France Websites|France Records&nbsp;Websites]]
    <li>[[Brittany|Brittany (Rennes)]]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgundy Burgundy (Dijon)] </li>
'''Wiki article describing online collections are found at:'''
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9arn Béarn (Pau)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_(province) Champagne (Troyes)] </li>
*[[France Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comtat_Venaissin Comtat Venaissin (Papal Fief)]</li>
*[[France Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corsica Corsica (Ajaccio)] </li>
*[[France Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauphin%C3%A9 Dauphiné (Grenoble)]</li>
*[[France, Coutance, Parish Church Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France, Coutance, Parich Church Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Flanders Flandres and Hainaut (Lille)]</li>
*[[France, Diocese of Coutances et d'Avranche, Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France, Diocese of Coutances et d'Avranche, Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]  
    <li>[[Ariège, France Genealogy#Former County of Foix|Foix (Foix)]]</li>
*[[France, Coutances et d'Avranche Diocese, Inquiries of Consanguinity (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France, Coutances et d'Avranche Diocese, Inquiries of Consanguinity (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franche-Comt%C3%A9 Franche-Comté (Besançon)]</li>
*[[France, Protestant Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France, Protestant Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyenne Guyenne] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gascony Gascony] (Bordeaux)</li>
*[[France, Quimper et Léon - Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)|France, Quimper et Léon - Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele-de-France Île-de-France (Paris)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languedoc Languedoc (Toulouse)]</li>
== Research Strategies  ==
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limousin Limousin (Limoges)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine Lorraine (Nancy)]</li>
*[[France - Birth - 1539-1791|Birth records 1539-1791]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_(province) Maine (Le Mans)]</li>
*[[France - Birth - 1792-Present|Birth records 1792-Present]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_La_Marche Marche (Guéret)]</li>
*[[France - Death - 1539-1791|Death records 1539-1791]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Montb%C3%A9liard Montbelliard, Fief of Württemberg]</li>
*[[France - Death - 1792-Present|Death records 1792-Present]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulhouse Imperial Free City of Mulhouse] </li>
*[[France - Marriage - 1539-1791|Marriage records 1539-1791]]  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Nice Nice, County of]</li>
*[[France - Marriage - 1792-Present|Marriage records 1792-Present]]<br>
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nivernais Nivernais (Nevers)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy Normandy (Rouen)]</li>
== Featured Content  ==
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orl%C3%A9anais Orléanais (Orléans)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picardy Picardy (Amiens)]</li>
(Your text or images here)  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poitou Poitou (Poitiers)] </li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence (Aix-en-Provence)]</li>
== Related Content  ==
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes Rhône-Alpes (Lyon)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roussillon Roussillon (Perpignan)]</li>
French citizens of Alsace-Lorraine (Haut Rhin, Bas Rhin, Moselle) often speak German. Many people from this area moved to Russia and the Ukraine and are discussed in [[Germans from Russia|Germans from Russia]].  
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saintonge Saintonge or Xaintonge (Saintes)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy Savoy, Duchy of (Chambéry then Turin)]</li>
== Did you know?  ==
    <li>[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoie_Propre Savoie Propre (Chambéry)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarentaise_Valley Tarentaise (Moûtiers)]</li>
*The archives of&nbsp;most of the ''départements''&nbsp;(states) in France&nbsp;and 60 French cities have digitized a wide range of historical records and made them available online. Additional French archives are coming online monthly.&nbsp;Records available often&nbsp;include birth, marriage, and death records, cadastral and other land records, military records, censuses, and more. Click [http://www.geneawiki.com/index.php/Archives_en_ligne#Archives_d.C3.A9partementales here] to see the latest updates.
    <li>[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurienne Maurienne (Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne)] </li>
*French national censuses are seldom used for primary research by most family historians, and many have not been microfilmed.  
    <li>[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genevois_(province) Genevois (Annecy)]</li>
*Some French military records begin as early as the 1500s.&nbsp;Records&nbsp;since the 19th century&nbsp;may&nbsp;include information about an ancestor's military career, such as promotions, places served, pensions, and conduct. In addition, these records may include information about his age, birthplace, residence, occupation, physical description, and family members.
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chablais Chablais (Thonon-les-Bains)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faucigny Faucigny (Bonneville)]</li>
== Help Wanted  ==
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touraine Touraine (Tours)]</li>
 
    <li>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Bishoprics Trois-Évêchés (Metz, Toul and Verdun)]</li>
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by:
</ul>
 
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*[[Edit a page|Expand an article]] or [[Special:Shortpages|short page]]  
*[[How to author an article in the Wiki|Create a new article]]  
*[[How to categorize an article|Categorize articles]]
 
|
*[[Create an external link|Add external links to articles]]  
*[[Create an internal link|Add internal links to articles]]
 
|}
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Articles that need editing:
==References==
 
{{reflist}}
*[[French Records Online|French Records Online]]
</div>
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:France]]
[[fr:France]]
[[pt:França]]

Latest revision as of 20:49, 11 August 2025

France Wiki Topics
Flag of France
France Beginning Research
Record Types
France Background
France Genealogical Word Lists
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources
Geographylogo.png In other languages: Français

Guide to France ancestry, family history and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Information

France is a country in Western Europe bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain, and Andorra. The French Republic was established in 1792. The official language is French.[1]

France Map

Click on the specific department name either on the maps above or in the list below to access the FamilySearch Wiki article for that department.

FinistèreIlle-et-VilaineVendéeCôtes d'ArmorMancheLoire-AtlantiqueMorbihanMaine-et-LoireOrneSartheEureOiseCalvadosMayenneSeine-MaritimeSommeNordArdennesAubePas-de-CalaisAisneVal-d’OiseEssonneYvelinesSeine-et-MarneMeuseParisParisMarneMeurthe-et-MoselleHaute-MarneMoselleSeine-Saint-DenisHauts-de-SeineBas-RhinTerritoire-de-BelfortHaut-RhinHaute-SaôneVal-de-MarneSaône-et-LoireVosgesDoubsCôte d'OrJuraYonneCherIndre-et-LoireEure-et-LoirNièvreIndreDeux-SèvresLoir-et-CherAllierAinLoiretCantalLoireDrômePuy-de-DômeRhôneArdècheHaute-SavoieHaute-LoireIsèreAlpes-MaritimesVaucluseSavoieAlpes-de-Haute-ProvenceBouches-du-RhôneHautes-AlpesVarHaute-CorseCorse-du-SudLozèreHéraultGardAudeAveyronPyrénées-OrientalesTarnLotGersTarn-et-GaronneAriègeHautes-PyrénéesHaute-GaronnePyrénées-AtlantiquesLot-et-GaronneCorrèzeLandesDordogneCreuseCharente-MaritimeGirondeHaute-VienneVienneCharenteFrance Map.png
About this image


Saint MartinGuadeloupeMartiniqueFrench GuianaLa RéunionMayotteMap of French Overseas Territories.png

Jurisdictions

Departments

Today France is divided into 96 departments and 5 overseas departments. This number has changed over the years. In 1790 there were 83 and at the height of Napoleon's reign there were as many as 130. Records are kept on the town level, but it is necessary to know which department the town is located.

Note: The numbers in parentheses following the department name correspond to the numbers on the map above. Territoire-de-Belfort does not have a number on the map; it is located immediately below Haut-Rhin (68). The (1) on the map corresponds to the Paris area shown on the left inset.

On 1 January 2021, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin were merged and became known as the European Collectivity of Alsace.
Territories
Many of the records of the French overseas territories are on-line at Les Archives nationales d’outre-mer (the Overseas National Archives).

Historic Provinces and their Capitols

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "France," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France, accessed 23 March 2016.
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