French Records Extraction Manual
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: OLD FRENCH RECORDS ................................................................... 5
Chapter 2: PARISH CHRISTENING AND CIVIL BIRTH ENTRIES.......................11
Marginal Notation …………………………………….………………………………............14
Date Phrase .........................................................................................................14
Ceremony Phrase................................................................................................15
Officiating Agent Phrase ....................................................................................... 17
Child Phrase ........................................................................................................18
Sex and Legitimacy Phrase ...................................................................................18
Parent's Phrase......................................................................................................19
Occupations...........................................................................................................19
Godparents or Grandparents and Warning Phrase in Parish Entries.............................20
Witness Phrase in Civil Entries ................................................................................20
Certification Phrase ................................................................................................21
Summary ...............................................................................................................22
Chapter 3: MARRIAGE ENTRIES .........................................................................25
Marginal Notation ...................................................................................................30
Locality Phrase .........................................................…………………………………...30
Date Phrase ...........................................................................................................31
Officiating Agent Phrase ......................................................................................... 31
Ceremony Phrase ...................................................................................................32
Confession and Wedding Mass ................................................................................34
Groom's Information ................................................................................................34
Bride's Information ..................................................................................................35
Godparents and Witnesses......................................................................................37
Certification and Seals............................................................................................ 37
Summary...............................................................................................................38
Chapter 4: OTHER ENTRIES................................................................................41
Death or Burial Records...........................................................................................42
Stillborn Entries .................................................................................................... 43
Marriage Information and Engagements ……………………………………….................. 43
Name Changes and Legitimations ………………………………………………................ 43
Confirmation Records..............................................................................................44
Signatures .............................................................................................................44
Extracts ................................................................................................................44
General Instructions................................................................................................44
Chapter 5: FRENCHDWRITING AND SPELLING................................................ 47
Introduction ...........................................................................................................47
Elements of Handwriting Style ................................................................................48
Chapter 6: NAME IDENTIFICATION.................................................................... 61
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 61
Techniques for Locating Names ………………………………………………………………61
Identifying Names …...............................................................................................62
Titles ....................................................................................................................63
Terms Denoting Relationship ..................................................................................64
Chapter 7: GENDER .......................................................................................... 67
Phrases Denoting Gender .......................................................................................67
Marginal Notations ................................................................................................ 68
Chapter 8: DATES ............................................................................................. 69
Overview of Calendar Systems ............................................................................... 69
Numbers ...............................................................................................................70
Years .................................................................................................................. .71
Roman Numerals……………………………………………………………………............... 76
Variations in Dates …………………………………………………………………….......... .76
Fixed Feast Days ................................................................................................. 76
Complementary Days …………………………………………….……………………...........77
Ecclesiastical Calendars ……………………………………………………………………….77
Conversion Chart for the French Republican Calendar ............................................... 79
Chapter 9: PUTTING IT ALL INTO PRACTICE ................................................ 83
Extraction Techniques: Summary........... …........................................................... 83
Extraction Techniques: Using a Names Catalog ......................................................84
Putting it All Into Practice ..................................................................................... 84
APPENDIX A: FRENCH O-CCUPATIONS LIST…............................................149
APPENDIX 8: COMMON ABBREVIATIONS .................................................. 159
Given Names .................................................................................................... 160