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Selected French Genealogical Resources

These resources are general in scope, but there are many more resources in the Genealogy Division that focus on specific counties, cities, and family lines. By searching for "France Genealogy" and "French Genealogy" in the OPAC as a subject or a keyword, you will find more sources like the ones listed below. Or, search for a specific surname or location as a subject to narrow down your results further.

English Resources

French Resources

Huguenot Resources

Periodicals

Internet Links

English Language Resources

Included in this list are English language genealogy resources in the ISL collection relating to French heritage in France, Canada, and pockets of the U.S. and the Caribbean, such as New Orleans.


929.14
B215c


Banet, Charles Henry. Courchaton: Department de la Haute Sa ne, 1670-1852. Rensselaer, IN: 1980.

Contains baptismal, marriage, and death registers for the Catholic Parish of Saint Madeline (1670-1792) and the Civil Registers from 1793-1852 at Courchaton, Department of Haute Sa`ne. Banet provides explanations in English to the use of forenames, surnames, towns of origin, as well as notes about the French Republican Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar.


977.201 A425ban


Banet, Charles Henry. French Immigrants in Allen County, IN 1850-1870. Rensselaer, IN: 1980.

Compiled from the 1850-1870 Federal Censuses for Allen County, Indiana. Banet edited and annotated some of the surnames, using "current" family names when possible and noting anglicized names, such as White for Blanc. Provides names and ages of those in the household, occupation, place of birth, and source information.


929
B355in
2001


Baxter, Angus. In Search of Your European Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 2001.

In his chapter on France, Baxter provides information about French history, calendar changes, and boundary changes that affect genealogical research in France as well as requisite addresses and tips for researching.


929.14
C932f
1994


Crispin, M. Jackson and Leonce Macary. Falaise Roll. Frome & London: Butler & Tanner, 1938.

Provides brief biographical information about those listed on the Falaise Roll`a list of persons believed to have been companions of William the Conqueror (William, duke of Normandy) during the conquest of England (1066-1072), after which he became king of England.


Microfiche LH14679
2nd Floor


Eaton, Arthur Wentworth Hamilton. The History of Kings County, Nova Scotia. Salem, MA: Salem Press, 1910.

Acadian resource providing background on the French expulsion and a history of the New England planters who came to Kings County in their stead. Includes many genealogies from 1604-1910.


929.11
P287fi


Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index. Detroit, MI: Gale, c1981.

Filby's index is a multi-volume set bringing together in one alphabet citations from over 100 published passenger and immigration lists, providing information on immigrants to Canada and the U.S. arriving between the sixteenth and early twentieth centuries.


976.302
N532k


King, Grace Elizabeth. Creole Families of New Orleans. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1921.

Provides information about prominent Creole families of New Orleans from the 1700's to the early 1900's. Historical references as well as genealogical information.


929.171
L167o


Laforest, Thomas J. Our French-Canadian Ancestors. Palm Harbor, FL: LISI Press, 1983.

Contains hundreds of biographies about settlers to New France, articles about life in New France, and topical information about family name origins, early explorers, the Catholic Church, etc.


929.171
L318f
1980


Lareau, Paul J., and Elmer Courteau. French Canadian Families of the North Central States. St. Paul, MN: [P.J. Lareau?], 1980.

8 volumes + index. A genealogical dictionary of surname listings for families of French origin who migrated from Canada to Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin. Also contains selected data about persons living in parts of Iowa, upper Michigan, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Information gleaned from records of French Canadian churches in the states listed as well as churches that were predominately of Quebec descent. Ninth volume is a location index.


Microfiche LH14608
2nd Floor


Public Archives of Canada. Report Concerning the Canadian Archives for the Year 1905. Ottawa: S.E. Dawson, 1906.

Sessional paper no. 18, first published by the Canadian Parliament in 1906. Describes archival holdings located in the Canadian Archives relating to Acadian genealogy and French-Canadian genealogy, pre-1763 to 1905.


929.14
R551a


Rieder, Jr., Milton P. and Norma Gaudet Rieder, eds. Acadians in France. Metairie, LA: 1967-73.

Vol. 1: Genealogical information on persons living in Acadian settlements in France circa 1762-1776 taken from welfare lists, general rolls, convoy lists, other sources. Vol. 2: Belle Isle En Mer Registers (birth, death, and circumstantial information about the Acadians living off of the coast of Bretagne in 1760's) and the La Rochette Papers (list of Acadians deported from Isle Saint Jean to England and subsequently to France in 1763). Vol. 3: Passenger lists of Acadians deported directly to France from Isle Royale and Isle Saint Jean in 1758.


976.3
R654a


Robichaux, Albert J., Jr. The Acadian Exiles in Saint-Malo, 1758-1785. Eunice, LA: Hebert Publications, 1981.

Three volume set designed as a guide in locating parish records of baptisms, marriages, and burials of Acadians exiled to Saint Malo, France and the surrounding area in the mid to late 18th century. The author refers to French departments by their present-day (as of 1981) names so users of the book can locate records easily.


977.201 A425ron


Rondot, Alfred B. Place or Town Origin of Allen County, Indiana, French Surnames, 1800-1900, found in the Courchaton, Haute Saone, France Register 1670-1852. 1980.

Rondot has taken surnames of French origin found in 19th century Allen County and connected them to surnames found in French registers from Courchaton during the 17th through the 19th century. He indicates a place of origin for each surname and sites various sources for his information (censuses, etc.).


929.14
S377


Schrader-Muggenthaler, Cornelia. Alsace Emigration Book. Apollo, PA: Closson, 1991.

Two volumes. Listing of emigrants from Upper and Lower Alsace to the United States as well as persons who migrated through Alsace from Germany, Switzerland, etc. Provides birth year, birth place, date of emigration, place of emigration, and source information.


976.3
T726m


Toups, Neil J. Mississippi Valley Pioneers. Lafayette, LA: Neilson Publishing Co., 1970.

Genealogical information about pioneers of French or Spanish origin who settled in Louisiana, including passenger lists as well as historical and biographical information.


16.929
W447g


Wellauer, Maralyn A. 2nd ed. A Guide to Foreign Genealogical Research. Milwaukee, WI: Maralyn A. Wellauer, 1976.

Wellauer's chapter about genealogical resources relating to France (pages 80-93) includes instructions on writing for records, genealogical societies in France, and a bibliography of resources.


976.3
W519a


West, Robert Cooper. An Atlas of Louisiana Surnames of French and Spanish Origin. Baton Rouge: Geoscience Publications, 1986.

West profiles 100 Spanish and French surnames using maps showing the present-day (as of 1986) distribution of households of a given name in Louisiana and surrounding states. Each map is followed by a brief historical interpretation of the distribution with emphasis on time and place of the family's initial settlement and the family's spread.


Microfiche LH9526
2nd Floor


WPA. Inventory of Parish Archives of Louisiana. University, LA: Louisiana State University, 1939.

WPA inventory of notorial records from Orleans Parish in the 1930's with indexes.

French Language Resources
Included in this list are French language genealogy resources in the ISL collection relating to French heritage in France, Canada, and pockets of the U.S. and the Caribbean, such as New Orleans.


929.14
A615


Annuaire de la Noblesse de France et d`Europe. Paris, 1960.

French language resource. Volume 89 in the "Royalty, Peerage, and Aristocracy of the World" series, this source describes French nobles including dates of birth, death, and marriage, biographical information about houses of nobility, and some black and white illustrations of crests. Other volumes also contain information on French nobility.


929.14
A618h


Anselme, Pere. Histoire de la Maison Royale de France. Paris: Editions du Palais Royal, 1967.

French language resource ("History of the Royal House"). Reprint of the 3rd edition (1726-1733). Details the history of the royal houses of France, including information on lineage relating to the kings and nobles of the country.


929.171
A781h
1978


Arsenault, Bona. Histoire et Genealogie des Acadiens. Quebec: Lemeac, 1978.

Six volumes. French language resource containing genealogies by family. Data is sorted by place, then family, then generation. There is no alphabetical index, which means one family can appear in many sections. Covers Port-Royal, Beaubassin, Grand-Pre, Pisiguit, Cobequid, Chipoudy and Petitcoudiac, Cap-de-Sable et Pobomcoup, Riviere St-Jean, Ristigouche (Quebec), Plaisance, Histoire de Louisbourg, Louisbourg, Ile Royale - sauf Louisbourg, Ile St-Jean, St-Pierre, Miquelon, `les de la Madeleine, Bordeaux (France), Belle-Ile-en-Mer (France), and Louisiane.


929.14
B269d


Barrau, Hippolyte de. Documents Historiques et Genealogiques du Rouergue. Paris: Editions du Palais Royal, 1972.

Four volumes. French language resource containing information through the 1850's on the key historical occurrences and families of note in Rouergue, a region in the south of France.


929.14
B372d


Beauchet-Filleau, H. and Paul Beauchet-Filleau. Dictionnaire Historique et Genealogique des Familles du Poitou. Poitiers: Oudin et cie, 1895-1913.

French language resource with alphabetical listing of family surnames relating to the region of Poitou in western France going back to the1200's.


Microfiche LH12709
2nd Floor


Daniel, Francois. Nos Glories Nationale, ou, Histoire des Principales Familles du Canada. Montréal : E.Senécal, 1867.

French language resource (Our National Glories, or History of the Principle Families of Canada) containing historical and biographical references to the first families of Canada, including coats of arms and genealogical references to dates of birth, death, marriage, etc.


929.171 D134h


Daniel, Francois. Histoire des Grandes Familles Francaises du Canada. Montreal: E. Senecal, 1867.

French language resource (History of the Grand French Families of Canada). Biographical information about the family of Chevalier Antoine Gabriel Francois Benoist (born before 1715 in Paris and immigrated to Quebec in 1735), his descendants, and other families who would have been Benoist contemporaries are discussed in detail here.


929.14
H872a


d`Hozier, Louis Pierre. Armorial General, ou, Registres de la Noblesse de France. Paris: Editions du Palais Royal, 1970.

Eleven parts + index. French language resource originally published in the 1700's and containing historical and genealogical information about families of French nobility.


Microfiche LH13524
2nd Floor


Dionne, N.E. Les Canadiens-Fran`ais. Quebec: Granger, 1914.

French language resource. A dictionary format listing surnames alphabetically with descriptions of the origins of families who migrated to Canada from France, Spain, and Switzerland, etc. Lists surnames, their variant spellings, and their meanings.


929.17
E48r


Eloi-Gerard, Brother. Recueil de Genealogies des Comtes de Beauce, Dorchester, Frontenac, 1625-1946. Beauceville, P.Q.: College de Sacre-Coeur, 1949-1955.

Eleven volumes. French language resource. A listing of all marriage records found in the Catholic Churches of Beauce, Dorchester, and Frontenac Counties in Quebec. Date ranges vary by individual church, but records from as early as 1745 are included. Most records start in the 1800's and end in 1945.


Microfiche LH13737
2nd Floor


Godbout, Archange. Emigration Rochelaise en Nouvelle-France. Quebec: Archives Nationales du Quebec, 1970.

French language resource. Provides genealogical information about emigrants from LaRochelle, France to Canada. Includes dates of birth, death, and marriage as well as occupational information and more.


929.14
L524a


Lehr, M. Ernest. L'Alsace Noble Suivie de le Livre d'Or du Patriciat de Strasbourg. Paris: Editions du Palais Royal, 1972.

Three volumes in one. French language resource (Nobles of Alsace as Following the Gold Book of the Patriciat of Strasbourg) chronicling the genealogy of the great Alsatian families, including birth, marriage, and death information as well as historical information relating to the lives of the families. Some black and white illustrations.


929.17
D554


Lussier, Irenee. Dictionaire National des Canadiens Francias (1608-1760). Montreal: Institut Genealogique Drouin, 1965.

French language resource. Three volume work with volumes 1 and 2 providing genealogical information about French Canadian families from 1608-1760, alphabetized by surname and including date and place of marriage as well as names of the bride and groom's parents. Volume 3 provides a historical backdrop to that information, including 33 Coats of Arms, 259 signatures, and more genealogical data.


Microfiche LH12900
2nd Floor


Montagne, Pierre, Mme. Tourouvre et les Juchereau. Quebec: Société canadienne de généalogie.1965.

French language resource. Genealogical information about settlers to Quebec from Tourouvre, France, discussing the Juchereau family and related families. Provides the texts of various contracts of service ("contrats d'engagement") and more.


16.92914 S128b


Saffroy, Gaston. Bibliographie Genealogique, Heraldique et Nobiliaire de la France. Paris: G. Saffroy, 1968-74.

French language resource. Comprehensive guide to published genealogies relating to French genealogy, heraldry, and nobility before 1974.B


929.171
T164
1969


Tanguay, Cyprien. Dictionnaire Genealogique des Familles Canadiennes. Province de Québec: E. Senecal, 1871-1890.

French language resource. Contains information on Canadian families from 1608 to the early 1900's, including genealogical records of early French inhabitants of Louisiana and the settlements between Louisiana and Canada.

Huguenot Resources

The following list includes general titles, but there are many more Huguenot resources in the ISL collection that focus on specific geographic areas and specific family lines. Also, many general French resources will discuss Huguenot genealogy. By searching for "Huguenots Genealogy" in the catalog as a subject or keyword, you will find more sources like the ones listed below. Or, add the term "Huguenot" to a search for a surname or geographic area to make your search even more specific. Works are in English unless noted.


Microfiche LH14268
2nd Floor


Agnew, David C.A. Protestant Exiles from France in the reign of Louis XIV, or The Huguenot Refugees and Their Descendants in Great Britain and Ireland. (2nd ed.) London: Reeves & Turner, 1871-1874.

Three volumes with index of names and bibliographic information relating to Huguenot refugees who left France for Ireland and Great Britain. Includes some memoirs of refugees from reigns before Louis XIV.


929.141
C653r


Cobb, Georgia Nellie Chandler. Register of Huguenot Ancestors. Washington DC: National Huguenot Society, c1975.

Compiled list of Huguenot names recognized by the National Huguenot Society circa 1975.


929.141
F514r


Finnell, Arthur Louis. Register of Qualified Huguenot Ancestors of the National Huguenot Society. (4th ed.) Bloomington, MN : The Society, 1995.

Compiled list of Huguenot names recognized by the National Huguenot Society circa 1995, updating Reeves 1980 volume.


929.141
F831h


Franklin, Charles M. Huguenot Genealogical Research. Indianapolis, IN: C.M. Franklin, c1985.

A bibliographic how-to guide for those wishing to research their Huguenot heritage.


929.141
H896


Gannon, Peter Steven, ed. Huguenot Refugees in the Settling of Colonial America. New York, NY: Huguenot Society of America, c1985.

Provides background on the Huguenot condition in France, the major geographical areas in which Huguenot refugees settled, and information about most prominent Huguenot settlements in the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, Maine, etc. Genealogical information is throughout, with an index of biographies at the end of the book.


929.11
G538n
1979


Giuseppi, Montague Spencer. Naturalizations of Foreign Protestants in the American and West Indian Colonies (pursuant to Statute 13 George II, c.7). Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979.

Listing of Huguenots and other Protestants who were naturalized in the colonies. Commissioners in the Americas sent records back to England detailing those foreign Protestants who were naturalized in the colonies as instructed by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantation's act for naturalization. Covers from 1740 to about 1782.


16.929141 H897c


Huguenot Society of America. Catalogue or Bibliography of the Library of the Huguenot Society of America. (2nd ed.) Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1971.

Reprint of the 1920 edition, this resource is a finding aid for locating resources that contain information about Huguenots in specific geographic areas or for finding the titles of works published about a specific surname.


929.141 H897Lp


Huguenot Society of London. Publications. Nendelin/Lechtenstein : Kraus Reprint, 1969.

23 volumes. Contains a wealth of genealogical data spanning centuries. Each volume contains a surname index. Information about births, baptisms, marriages, burials, and published specialist studies and transcripts relating to many original records.


929.141
L335h
1973


Lart, Charles Edmund. Huguenot Pedigrees. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973.

This is a reprint of the 1924-1928 edition of the same book. Collection of pedigrees of notable Huguenot families with descriptions of coats-of-arms and sources of genealogical and biographical data. Contains over 1500 names.


Microfiche LH12812
2nd Floor


Lart, C.E. The Registers of the Protestant Church at Caen (Normandy). Vannes: Lafolye Frères, 1907.

French language resource. Records from the Huguenot church in Normandy, including baptisms and marriages from the 1500 s. Includes index.


974.902 B4951L


Leiby, Adrian Coulter. The Huguenot Settlement of Schraalenburgh. Bergenfield, N.J. : Bergenfield Free Public Library, 1964.

Discusses the Schraalenburgh settlement that was located in what is today Bergenfield, New Jersey. More historical than genealogical, but names of persons and family members are included throughout.


929.141 R331te


Reeve, Vera. A Tentative List of Qualified Ancestors. Chicago, IL: National Huguenot Society, 1980.

Compiled list of Huguenot names recognized by the National Huguenot Society circa 1980.


Microfiche LH12838
2nd Floor


Wittmeyer, Alfred V., ed. Registers of the births, marriages, and deaths of the Eglise Francoise a la Nouvelle York from 1688 to 1804. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1968.

Vital records from the French Church du Saint Esprit, New York City, reprinted from Collections of the Huguenot Society of America, vol. 1, New York, 1886.

Periodicals


929.14
A512a


American French Genealogical Society. Je Me Souviens. Pawtucket, RI: American French Genealogical Society. 1979-1983.

English language periodical ("I Remember"). The library has select issues of this periodical from 1979-1983. Contains genealogical resources including maps, brief family histories, and registers of births, deaths, and marriages for France and parts of Canada and Louisiana.


929.17
F877


Centre Canadien des Recherches Genealogiques. French Canadian and Acadian Genealogical Review. Quebec: Centre Canadien des Recherches Genealogiques, 1968-1981.

Quarterly periodical issues from spring 1968 to winter 1981 with genealogical information about French Canadian and Acadian vital records, church records, biographies, and more.


976.3
N558


Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans. The New Orleans Genesis. New Orleans, LA: Genealogical Research Society of New Orleans.

Quarterly periodical with a wealth of information about births, deaths, marriages, and other types of genealogical information relating to French ancestry from Orleans Parish.


929.141
H897h


Huguenot Memorial Association. The Huguenot. Staten Island, NY: Huguenot Memorial Association, 1931-1932.

Some 1931 and 1932 periodical issues.

Internet Links

 


Addresses for Archives Departmentales

Contact information for the various archival departments in France, where researchers must write to request French civil registry records.

 


Acadian Genealogy Homepage

This site is dedicated to providing Acadian-Cajun and French Canadian family resources, surnames, and historical information. Includes cemetery records, Acadian deportation orders, historical timelines, Acadian towns and locales then and now, chat rooms to talk with other researchers, and many pages on different surnames.

 


American Canadian Genealogical Society

ACGS is dedicated to French-Canadian, Acadian, and Franco-American genealogy research. This site provides table of contents for recent American-Canadian Genealogist journal issues and contact information for the society's library containing city directories, Acadian records, vital records, Jesuit resources, family genealogies, and more. ACGS does complete research requests for a fee.

 


American French Genealogical Society

AFGS provides table of contents listings for the society's periodical, Je Me Souviens, and has a genealogy library with a holdings list and research guides to items in the collection posted online. The "Helpful Information" section provides resources about surname and given name variations, translations for helpful phrases found in French records, and first name abbreviations.

 


Ancestry Library

Online subscription available for use within the Indiana State Library. The following is a sampling of French-related databases available through this Web site. This is not a comprehensive list of all applicable databases.

Colchester District, Nova Scotia Census, 1901: Acadia Mines, Brookfield
Courchaton, France Church Records, 1670-1852
Eastern Townships and Southwestern Quebec, Canada Land Records: 1881
Huguenot Pedigrees, Vol. 1
Huguenot Pedigrees, Vol. 2
New Orleans, Louisiana Birth Records Index, 1790-1899
New Orleans, Louisiana Death Records Index, 1804-1949
New Orleans, Louisiana Directories, 1890-1891
New Orleans, Louisiana Marriage Records Index, 1831-1925
Virginia Huguenot Refugees, 1700
Vesoul, France Marriages, 1595-1700

 


Bibliotheque Genealogique d'Orleans

B.G.O. is a private genealogical library located in Orleans, France. The home page is written in English, but the search interfaces are in French. While some of the databases require a membership and password, the site also provides access to free birth, death, and marriage databases.

 


Bibliotheque Nationale de France

This is the official Web site of the National Library of France. In addition to the items in the physical collection, try searching the Bibliotheque's digital library, Gallica, to locate printed materials, graphic materials, and sound recordings. Find sources relating to genealogy in Gallica by clicking "Recherche" (search) and searching for "Généalogie" as a "Sujet" (subject).

 


Canadian Census Records

This is a link to the Canada section of Census Online; a collection of online census transcriptions. Provides links to scattered census records for the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

 


Cyndi's List: France

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet provides links to information about French maps and gazetteers, the French Republican Calendar, French records, people and families of French origin, French military records, and more.

 


Ellis Island

Searchable database of passengers and crew members who entered through Ellis Island and the Port of New York, 1892-1954. Includes the names of many immigrants from France.

 


France GenWeb

Provides numerous databases of useful information for those researching French ancestry. Database topics include Acts en Vrac, tombstone inscriptions, clergy/religious figures, French soldiers in the American Revolution, French notaries in France and overseas, Protestants, and more. These are home-grown databases that can be added to by anyone, so they may not be completely accurate.

 


French Genealogical Research Information

About.com has put together many articles and links to resources for French genealogical research. Information about French history and record-keeping systems, requesting civil registry records and parish registry records by mail including a sample letter in French, and a beginner's guide to French genealogical research can be found here. Also provides many links to other websites with pertinent information.

 


Heritage Quest

Online subscription available for use within the Indiana State Library. The Periodical Source Index can be searched from this site. The Periodical Source Index is a searchable database of Genealogical Periodicals. Users can search by place, person, or periodical title to locate information about French ancestors.

 


Huguenot Society of America

Information about joining the society, contact information for the HSA library (visits by appointment only), historical information about Huguenot heritage, and a list of useful links for further information.

 


National Huguenot Society

The National Huguenot Society provides links to background information about the Huguenots, publications for sale, ancestral name listings, links to Huguenot societies in other countries and continents, immigration and vital records information, and more.

GEN SP 10-25-2024