France Research Tips and Strategies

France Wiki Topics

Beginning Research
Research Strategies Record Finder Finding Town of Origin Online Learning
Record Types
Cemeteries Census Church Records Civil Registration Directories Compiled Genealogies Emigration & Immigration Jewish records Family Account Books Feudal Records Heraldry	Hospital Records Military Records Naturalization & Citizenship Newspapers Nobility Notarial Records Obituaries Online Genealogy Records Periodicals Probate Records Religious Records Schools and Education Records
France Background
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France

Research Strategies

Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page
The France Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for France. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.

France Research Strategies

France Research Guide
French Research Brigham Young University Independent Study Online Course

Finding Birth Records

Finding Marriage Records

Finding Death Records

France Research Tips

Civil records are crucial for research in France. Civil authorities began registering births, marriages, and deaths in 1792.
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.

Online Learning

Classes: Finding Your French Ancestors Online

Record Types and Beginning Dates

Record Type (English)	Record Type (French)	Records Begin
Civil registration	Etat civil	1792
Church records	Registres ecclésiastiques	1525
Census, population registers and tax lists	Recensement, centième, denier, registres de la taille et autres registres d’impôts seigneuriaux et royaux	1590
Notarial records	Registres notariaux	1300
Genealogical collections	Collections généalogiques	1000
Passenger lists, emigration registers and passports	Rôles des passagers, registres des émigrés, demandes des passeports pour l’étranger et l’intérieur	1686
Orphan and guardianship records	Tutelles, curatelles, émancipations	1500
Naturalization and name change records	Lettres de naturalisation et de changements de noms	1635
Feudal and allegiance records	Fiefs, terriers, aveux, dénombrements, hommages, reconnaissances des tailles; registres de la justice seigneuriale	1000
Death memorials and cemetery inscriptions	Obituaires, registres des cultes anniversaires des décès, et inscriptions mortuaires	1400
Military conscriptions, exemptions, deserters	Registres de conscription, dossiers d’exemption, listes des déserteurs	1800
Burgess rolls and guild records	Registres de bourgeoisie et corporations de métiers	1300
City directories	Répertoires d’adresses	1700
Hospital records	Registres des hôtels-Dieu et des hôpitaux	1700
French colonial records	Registres d’engagement pour les colonies françaises	1634
Public officials and government employee records	Dossiers personnels des fonctionnaires	1525
School records	Registres de l’instruction publique, des universités, collèges, sociétés académiques	1300
Convent records	Registres des monastères, couvents, abbayes, évêchés	1200