by In France, vital records, which consists of birth records, marriage records, divorce records and death records, are considered a vital resource as they are used for genealogy researches. This is because these records cover entire French population including people of all denominations and are easily accessible and indexed. This guide is aimed at giving you methods on how to find birth records in France.
France, a western Europe country, is a republic that is historically known in the world. It is bordered by Belgium and Luxemburg (northeast), Germany, Switzerland and Italy (east) and the Spain, the Mediterranean Sea and Andorra (south) and the Bay of Biscay (west). The country has former colonies all over the world.
France’s current population is at about 66 million people with a median age of 42.3 years. Paris, the capital city, has the highest population which is estimated to be at 2.1 million people.
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France Birth Records
France began the registration of civil record in 1792. Civil officers were tasked with recording all births, deaths, marriages and divorces that were reported by people to civil registration offices (bureau de lé’tat civil). The information found in these records varies according to time of recording and place where they were recorded.
Most basic information found on civil records include name, date and place of birth, gender, names of spouses or parents. Other records include age of parents, occupation of the father and place of origin of the parents.
Birth records in France have one bonus characteristic. They have what is referred to as the ‘margin entries’. These are hand written notes which are inscribed on the side margin which can direct to additional records. Marriage information (date and location) started being a part of the birth records in 1897, divorces were noted in about 939, deaths became a part of them in 1945 and legal separations were included from 1958.
Places that Offer Birth Records Searches in France
Civil records in France are now available online. This means that you can look up birth records in France on the internet.
The local town hall (local mairie) is the one that houses civil records in registries. This is where you can search for the birth records. Copies of the records are also deposited with the local magistrate’s court. Records which are more than 100 years are stored with the Archives Department (Archives Départementales) and are accessible to the general public.
Recent birth records in France are also accessible but there are restrictions that come with them. People who are looking to obtain recent birth records would be needed to provide proof of relationship to the record holder, normally through providing a birth certificate.
The Commission nationale de li’informatique et des liberte’s (CNIL) states that access to online indexes and digital images is only allowed to records that are older than 120 years.
Individuals who are looking to find birth records in France need to first find the full name, date of birth, date of death (if deceased), the location (city, town) in France where the birth took place. For France, it is not enough to know just the region or department. In most cases, these records are accessible from town level, failing which, you will have to search for the records from dozens of communes.
Birth Records Searches from Family Search
There are numerous links that Family Search offers that can help you locate birth record in France. Below is a list of them:
- France Protestant Church Records (1536 – 1863)
- France, Births and Baptisms (1546 – 1896)
- France, Charente, Parish and Civil Registration (1550 – 1936)
- France Protestant Church Baptism (1561 – 1894)
- France Compilation of Vital Records (1585 – 1928)
- France, Coutances and Avranches Diocese, Catholic Parish Baptisms (1691 – 1894)
- British Armed Forces Overseas Births and Baptisms
Birth Records Searches from Ancestry Records
Ancestry records has a France family history research page. This page will give record collections, genealogy as well as history resources that can help you find information on just about anyone in France. The collections include France Census and voter lists, France birth, marriage and death, France military, France immigration and emigration, France newspapers and periodicals, France directories and member lists, France, court, land, wills and financials to name but some.
There are also links to regions if you are looking to filter your search from here. This option is ideal if you are familiar with the region where the birth took place.
How to Order a French Birth Certificate
People who are looking to order birth certificates in France can do so online from here. Another option is to obtain it from the Office of the Mayor (La Mairie) where the birth took place. Applicants are expected to provide the following information when submitting an application:
- Applicants full name
- Date and place of birth
- Father’s full name
- Mother’s full name including maiden name.
These applications should come in a self-addressed envelope. There are no charges incurred when applying for a birth certificate. It’s a free birth records lookup process. For more details, you can visit Service Public, the official site of the French administration.
These tips on how to find birth records in France can assist you find birth records that range from 1500 to modern times. Try them and find out which one will work for you.
