French Genealogy 888

SOURCE = About.com ( Website )

edmondsallan . Hello I found this in my files ( thats a lie - I asked old faithful to find something in searching French Genealogy . she found this in her records and then again on the net ) . Might be worth a try - If you are trying to work the Genealogy records in France .I haven't used it recently so I won't vouch for it .Could be up to date and workable

French Genealogy -- By Kimberly Powell
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Genealogy in France
Civil Registers (les registres d'état-civil)

By Kimberly Powell, About.com Guide
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* french genealogy
* civil registration records
* birth records
* marriage records
* death records

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(Continued from Page 1)
Civil registers are the most important genealogical resource in France. Civil authorities began registering births, deaths, and marriages in France in 1792. Some communities were slow at putting this into motion, but soon after 1792 all individuals who lived in France are recorded. Because these records cover the entire population, are easily accessible and indexed, and cover people of all denominations, they are crucial to French genealogy research.

Records of civil registration are typically held in registries in local town halls (mairie). Copies of these registries are deposited each year with the local magistrate's court and then, when they are 100 years old, are placed in the archives for the town's Department. Due to privacy regulations, only records over 100 years old may be consulted by the public. It is possible to obtain access to the more recent records, but you will generally be required to prove, through the use of birth certificates, your direct descent from the person in question.

Birth, death, and marriage records in France are full of wonderful genealogical information, though this information varies by time period. The later records usually provide more complete information than the earlier ones. Most civil registers are written in French, though this doesn't present a great difficulty to non-French speaking researchers as the format is basically the same for most records. All you need to do is learn a few basic French words (i.e. naissance=birth) and you can read pretty much any French civil register. This French Genealogical Word List includes most of the common genealogy terms in English, along with their French equivalents.

One more bonus of French civil records, is that birth records often include what is known as "margin entries." References to other documents on an individual (name changes, court judgments, etc.) are often noted in the margins of the page containing the original birth registration. From 1897, these margin entries will also often include marriages. You'll also find divorces from 1939, deaths from 1945, and legal separations from 1958.

Births (Naissances)
Births were usually registered within two or three days of a child's birth, usually by the father. These records will typically provide the place, date and time of registration; the date and place of birth; the child's surname and forenames, the parents' names (with mother's maiden name), and the names, ages, and professions of two witnesses. If the mother was single, her parents were often listed as well. Depending upon the time period and locality, the records may also provide additional details such as the age of the parents, the father's occupation, the birthplace of the parents, and the relationship of the witnesses to the child (if any).

Marriages (Mariages)
After 1792, marriages had to be performed by civil authorities before couples could be married in the church. While church ceremonies were usually held in the town where the bride resided, civil registration of the marriage may have taken place elsewhere (such as the groom's place of residence). The civil marriage registers give many details, such as date and place (mairie) of the marriage, full names of the bride and groom, the names of their parents (including mother's maiden surname), the date and place of death for a deceased parent, the addresses and occupations of the bride and groom, details of any previous marriages, and the names, addresses, and occupations of at least two witnesses. There will also usually be an acknowledgement of any children born before the marriage.

Deaths (Décès)
Deaths were usually registered within a day or two in the town or city where the person died. These records can be especially useful for people born and/or married after 1792, because they may be the only existing records for these individuals. The very early death records often only include the full name of the deceased and the date and place of death. Most death records will also usually include the age and birthplace of the deceased as well as the parents' names (including mother's maiden surname) and whether or not the parents are also deceased. Death records will also usually include the names, ages, occupations, and residences of two witnesses. Later death records provide the marital status of the deceased, the name of the spouse, and whether the spouse is still alive. Women are usually listed under their maiden name, so you will want to search under both their married name and their maiden name to increase your chances of locating the record.

Next > How to Obtain Copies of Records
Genealogy in France
How to Obtain Copies of French Civil Registers

By Kimberly Powell, About.com Guide
See More About

* french genealogy
* civil registration records
* genealogy databases

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(Continued from Page 2)
Before you begin your search for a civil record in France, you will need some basic information - the name of the person, the place where the event took place (town/village), and the date of the event. In large cities, such as Paris or Lyon, you will also need to know the Arrondissement (district) where the event took place. If you are not certain of the year of the event, you will have to conduct a search in the tables décennales (ten-year indexes). These indexes usually index births, marriage, and deaths separately, and are alphabetical by surname. From these indexes you can obtain the given name(s), document number, and date of the civil register entry.

On the Web
Many of the French departmental archives have been digitizing their records and making them available online - generally at no cost for access. Quite a few have their birth, marriage and death records (actes d'etat civil) online, or at least the decennial indexes. Generally you should expect to find digital images of the original books, but no searchable database or index. This is no more work than viewing the same records on microfilm, however, and you can search from the comfort of home! Explore this list of Online French Genealogy Records for links, or check the Web site of the Archives Departmentales which holds the records for your ancestor's town. Do not expect to find records less than 100 years online, however.

Some genealogical societies and other organizations have published online indexes, transcriptions and abstracts taken from French civil registers. Genactes maintains a good list of links to many of these databases, organized by department. Subscription-based access to transcribed pre-1903 actes d'etat civil from a variety of genealogical societies and organizations is available through the French site Geneanet.org at Actes de naissance, de mariage et de deces. At this site you can search by surname across all departments and results generally provide enough information that you can determine whether a particular record is the one you seek before you pay to view the full record.
From the Family History Library
One of the best sources for civil records for researchers living outside of France is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. They have microfilmed civil registration records from about half of the departments in France up to 1870, and some departments up to 1890. You will generally find nothing microfilmed from the 1900s due to the 100 year privacy law. The Family History Library also has microfilm copies of the decennial indexes for almost every town in France. To determine if the Family History Library has microfilmed the registers for your town or village, just search for the town/village in the online Family History Library Catalog. If the microfilms exist, you can borrow them for a nominal fee and have them sent to your local Family History center (available in all 50 U.S. states and in countries around the world) for viewing. For more information on how to use Family History Centers for genealogy research, see Step by Step Guide to the Family History Library System.

At the Local Mairie
If the Family History Library doesn't have the records you seek, then you'll have to obtain civil record copies from the local registrars' office (bureau de l'état civil) for your ancestor's town. This office, usually located in the town hall (mairie) will usually mail one or two birth, marriage, or death certificates at no charge. They are very busy, however, and are under no obligation to respond to your request. To help ensure a response, please request no more than two certificates at one time and include as much information as possible. It is also a good idea to include a donation for their time and expense. See How to Request French Genealogy Records by Mail for more information.

The local registrar's office is basically your only resource if you are searching for records which are less than 100 years old. These records are confidential and will only be sent to direct descendants. To support such cases you will need to provide birth certificates for yourself and each of the ancestors above you in a direct line to the individual for which you are requesting the record. It is also recommended that you provide a simple family tree diagram showing your relationship to the individual, which will help the registrar in checking that you have provided all of the necessary supporting documents.

If you plan to visit the Mairie in person, then call or write in advance to establish that they have the registers that you are looking for and to confirm their hours of operation. Be sure to bring along at least two forms of photo ID, including your passport if you live outside of France. If you will be searching for records of less than 100 years, be sure to bring along all necessary supporting documentation as described above.
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Till we meet again - Regards - edmondsallan