France

Learn the essentials for researching families in France.
Step 1: identify your ancestral town.
Step 2: learn to use civil registration records.
Step 3: learn to use church records.

Research Foundations

Map Pile
Step 1: Town Identification

BMD Certificates
Step 2: Civil Registration Records

  1. Généalogie française: les registres parroissiaux et d'état civil (French)
  2. France Civil Registration (FamilySearch Wiki Article)
nib pen and inkwell
Step 3: Church Records

  1. France Church Records (FamilySearch Wiki Article)
  2. Registres paroissiaux (Geneanewiki Article in French)

    Related Content

    Handwriting
    French
    1. Reading French Civil Registration Records
    2. French Handwriting (FamilySearch Wiki Article)
    3. French Genealogical Word List (FamilySearch Wiki Article)
    4. French Paleography Tutorial (BYU Script Tutorial Site)
    Handwriting
    German
    1. Introduction
    2. The Alphabet
    3. Paleography Websites
    4. Key Words
    5. Key Abbreviations
    6. Process of Deciphering Records
    7. Practice Reading A German Church Record
    8. Practice Reading A German Civil Record
    9. Spelling Variations, Names, and Places
    Handwriting
    Latin
    Magnifying Glass
    Additional Resources