Before tackling genealogical sources in France it is first essential to check and exploit the records available in the UK. London is particularly well established as a major source of information. In particular the Huguenot Society and the British Museum library are invaluable depositeries of French records. The Public Records Office in Chancery Lane also has valuable records.

Although the Huguenot Society was dealt with in chapter 14 under Genealogical Sources in the UK, it is worth identifying their main works.

Of their 55 Quarto Series, some deal with Aliens/Immigrants from France from 1509 onwards; with registers of French Huguenot churches in London and other towns in the UK where Huguenots settled; with registers of Walloon churches in Norwich, Canterbury, Southampton and London and with certain Huguenot churches Qutside England, in Ireland Guisnes/France, Cadzond/Holland, Le Mans/France. Each book is well indexed. All varieties of spelling for the name being researched, must be checked.

In their library within University College library the Huguenot Society have many specialist books about the Huguenots not only as emigrés to UK, but about their perils and travels in France. They also have the complete series of books published by the French Protestant Society of Paris at 54 rue des Saint-Pères, 75007, Paris. They are over 150 volumes in French and the indexes are located in 2 books. This is one of the few collections held in the UK. The English collection of 55 volumes and the French collection of 150 volumes are indispensable for any British researcher of French ancestors from the 16th century.

The British Museum library (readers ticket needed), see chapter 14, is a major repository of French historical and genealogical sources. Every Departmental (County) Archives in France had to produce (and did) what are called INVENTAIRE - SOMMAIRES. These are detailed summaries of the manuscripts they hold in their Archives usually Pre or Post 1789. Each Inventaire-Sommaire is divided into various SERIES or categories, ecclesiastical, land transactions, taxes, feudal duties, administration. Each is well indexed. For instance HELIE du FORT was shown as TEMOIN/WITNESS in Bordeaux in 1080 AD, Inventaire series H, page 12, left hand column. Provided the researcher knows which department the ancestor came from, the Inventaire-Sommaires which mention tens of thousands of names, is invaluable.

The British Museum library harbours most French departmental series of ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES. For instance it has the 60 volumes of “Bordeaux & GIRONDE archives historiques”. Each volume is well indexed and over 100 items were discovered for the Delaforce family.

The British Museum library posesses all the well-known French genealogical/historical series of which PERE ANSELMÉ’s ten huge buckram covered tomes are well-known, and also well indexed. They cover practically every family in France who had a relationship with the noble families (William de (la) FORCE who married Bracheutte d’Armagnac about 1000 AD was mentioned). The 26 volumes of Dictionnaire Noblesse de la Chenaye-Desboiset BALTERA is more interesting because genealogy is combined with historical detail.

Another most valuable source which is unique to France is the series of 18 large well-indexed volumes called GALLIA CHRISTIANA by Sainte MARTHE. They cover the entire ecclesiastical historical scene from the 9th century of every cleric down to Deacon in every diocese in France. The front three quarters of each book is in French giving the brief biographical details:- the last quarter shows the Proofs i.e. the original latin textes deriving from the Church CARTULAIRES. About 100 references were found to Delaforces either as clerics of one kind or another (many ecclesiastical minor titles were honorary) or as donors to the church of lands, money or other goods.

The French Parliamentary ‘ARRETS’ from 1494 are available in book form as digests - a marvellous source of information - indexed - available in British Museum library. The British Museum library also houses Thomas Rymers FEODORA, a political/military chronicle of the centuries when France and England were closely linked: Jean FROISSART’s chronicles of the 100 Years War with indexes: Harleian Manuscripts (in book form) contain many references to Frenchmen in the 14-17th centuries; the English and Scottish State Papers (Domestic, Foreign, Venetian, Scotland) on the open shelves contain hundreds of references to French families involved with England - well indexed.

For the dedicated researcher the British Museum library has literally hundreds of old, local, French history books. Because they are so local they contain very many names of families. For instance for GASCONY, one finds J. B. E. JAURGAIN, Ch. DARTIGUE, P. COURTEAULT, F-J BORDEAU who proved very useful. The technique is to look up the department, city or town in the main Author indexes or subject indexes in a quiet corner behind the information desk.

The Norman Conquest and the Domesday Book give a wealth of information about the earlier French invasion from 1066. The British Museum library has many appropriate books on these subjects.

In the Public Record Office at Kew, copies also in British Museum library, are to be found the “ROLES GASCONS”. Published in book form they contain the day to day records of the 300 year period when Gascony was owned and controlled by the English from Westminster: from Queen Eleanor’s dowry of 1152 until 1453 when the French regained Gascony. Translated by G. CUTTINO.

The “Roles NORMANDS” cover the shorter period when Henry VI recaptured Normandy during 1420-1500. Membranes 3 and 5 showed the English King giving a licence to the agents of John de la FOURCE to trade between France and England and a safe conduct pass for Bernard de la Force of Aquitaine for specific trading between Spain and England via Rouen and Calais.

“The Calender A-L Letters” of London edited by R. R. Sharpe to be found at the British Museum library and Guildhall show the detailed trading activities from 1250 to 1500 of scores of Anglo-French traders.

Although Paris is the centre of genealogical data in France, it is useful to see how the Departements tackle the problem. In the capital town of the Departement there are:-

(a) the Archives departemental

(b) the Bibliotheque municipale and

(c) separate section of the Bibliotheque which is ‘less serious .

The Archives generally speaking are in a different building (certainly they are in Auch, Cahors, Montauban, Bordeaux and Aurillac). No readers ticket is required but a form needs to be completed for each book. All manuscripts of course are held by the Archives which compose the Inventaire–Sommaire. Indexes by author are excellent but less so by subject. The staff are usually very helpful. Category (B) the Bibliotheque municipale - the serious section -is usually housed in superb rooms. The room in Cahors has to be seen to be believed: it is at least 150 feet in length and 30 across, with a minstrels gallery. It is crammed full of beautiful leather-bound books on open shelves. The equivalent in Auch is the same but has a modernised lay-out. Both are on top of the ordinary basic ‘students’ library with separate entrances and staff.

The Town Hall (MAIRIE) or the local Court (GREFFE) will usually hold records of births, marriages and deaths for the last 100 years. Certificates are of two kinds. If you can prove descent you can obtain a full certificate, without proof a shortened version. Usually the only cost for a typed or handwritten certificate is a stamped addressed envelope and an international reply coupon. For earlier certificates of civil registration the Departmental Archives should be contacted. State registration officially started in September 1792 but some registers may have started a little later.

French birth certificates give the name, address, profession, and age of the parents and the witnesses with their relationship to the child. Marriage certificates give parents, date and place of birth of both parties, profession and details, if any, of any previous marriage contract, also particulars of the witnesses. Death certificates give details of parents, date and place of birth, the existence of surviving husband or wife, plus particulars of the witnesses. The information about witnesses is valuable as they were frequently relations, often the father or mother concerned,

The actual records are called “DETENNAL TABLES”, usually alphabetical, but sometimes chronological within each letter category. They cover of course a ten-year period. Names starting with ‘DE’ should be checked under D and the first letter of the second or even third word. (DE LA FORCE means 3 separate searches.) All possible variations must also be checked - this is most important and one should go armed with a checklist of variants. Parish registers may be in the Archbishops Archives or local major church but this is now less likely.

Other genealogical aids are CENSUS returns, military censuses for young men aged twenty, notaries archives, land registers and occasionally passport files. The major Bibliotheque will undoubtedly have many local histories, local genealogies and family histories not to be found elsewhere, usually on open shelves.

PARIS

There is no centralised registry in Paris comparable to the GRO at St. Catherine House in London: the major sources of information in Paris frequently insist on Readers Cards which in turn need proof of identity and ‘seriousness of intent’ as with the British Museum library and PROs in London. One really needs not only a passport but additionally a PRO card, or BML card with photograph, or an embassy letter.

Other French sources

It can be seen that French sources of genealogy and family history are very well developed. Comparisons are odious. Nevertheless the UK has certain advantages

The three main advantages in France seem to be

For the really professional researcher in France there are four publications which should be consulted. The National Archives in Paris have now published the definitive work on what is available and where to find it from:-

Two more books must be mentioned for the professional genealogist.

For the historian, rather than the genealogist, the ‘Archives Curieuses de l’Histoire de France’, two series, by F. DAIOU are truly fascinating. Starting from about 1540 they contain dozens of fragments of history, mainly revolving around the Paris Court and Parliament. They are not indexed and patience is required.

In this book the author found the stories of:

(a) Pierre and the Duke of Alencon Conspiracy
(b) The Sieur de FORTAN, Henri IV’s mistress and the King of Spain’s 10,000 Pistilles
(c) Catherine of Medici’s will leaving 4000 livres to Jean
(d) Cardinal Richelieu’s will leaving 6000 livres to the Sieur de FORT, etc.