French genealogical records are scattered throughout France’s archival system (known as Archives de France), which is comprised of 2 national archives facilities (at Paris and at Fontainebleau), 96 departmental archives, and hundreds of municipal and town hall archives. In addition, France maintains separate archives for records of French citizens overseas, the French colonies, and the military.
Beginning in 1792, France mandated the civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths for all residents, including Jews, along with the creation of alphabetical one-year and ten-year indexes for each town. Some earlier Jewish vital records exist for the regions of Bordeaux, Metz, Comtat Venaissin, and Alsace. In southwestern France prior to 1792, Jewish vital records were frequently recorded in Catholic registers. Civil registers and indexes more than 100 years old are publicly accessible, but photocopies are only provided on a case by case basis. Original civil registers and indexes less than 100 years are sealed. However, anyone can request a copy of death record or an extract of a birth or marriage record. Direct relatives can request complete copies of birth or marriage records (if they can provide the names of the individual’s parents).
Archives de France (Archives of France) [French only]
The website of France’s nationwide archival system contains a directory of France’s archives, information on accessing records at France’s archives, and research guides.
This archive holds naturalization records until 1930.
Address: 11, rue des Quatre Fils, 75003 Paris
Telephone: (33) 01 40 27 64 19
Fax: (33) 01 40 27 66 28
Archives Nationales at Fontainebleau [French only]
This archive holds naturalization records from 1930 on, pre-French Revolution Jewish records (vital records, tax lists, cemetery records, etc.), Holocaust records (information on individuals arrested, deported, and interned), and Paris and Bas-Rhin consistory records.
Address: 2, rue des Archives, 77300 Fontainebleau
Telephone: (33) 01 64 31 73 00
Continental France is divided into 96 departments, each of which has its own archives located in the department’s capital city. Paris is an exception in that it has its own departmental archive and each of its arrondisements (neighborhoods) has its own “town hall” archive. Genealogical records from the region of Alsace are now held by the departmental archives of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. Genealogical records from the region of Lorraine are now held by the departmental archives of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, and Vosges
You can find a directory of France’s departmental archives here. [French only]
Departmental archives may contain civil registers/indexes more than 150 years old for towns with more than 2,000 inhabitants and more than 100 years old for towns with less than 2,000 inhabitants, census records, voter lists, conscription records, Jewish community tax lists, Jewish name adoption registers (resulting from Napoleon’s1808 decree), Holocaust records (police files, Jewish census files), and synagogue/Jewish community records.
You can find out what types of records are available online for a particular department here. [French only]
Archives de Paris [French only]
This archive holds Paris’ vital, census, voter, funeral, and estate records. A database of Paris vital records may be accessed here. [French only]
Information about Paris vital records may be accessed here [French only].
Municipal/town hall archives may contain civil registers/indexes less than 100 years old for all towns and between 100 and 150 years old for towns with more than 2,000 inhabitants, census records, voter lists, and synagogue/Jewish community records. You can find a directory of France’s municipal/town hall archives here. (click on the department where your city is located on the map).
To request vital records less than 100 years old from a particular town hall, you may complete the online form here. [French only].
You can find out whether there are vital records online for a particular city or town by visiting this website. [French only].
Archives Nationales d’Outre Mer (ANOM)
This archive holds the records of the vital events of French nationals occurring abroad, in current French territories, or in the former French colonies, except Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Syria (see “Centre des Archives Diplomatiques” section below), more than 100 years ago.
Address: 29, chemin du moulin de Testa, 13090 Aix-en-Provence
Telephone: + 33 (0) 4 42 93 38 50 Fax: + 33 (0) 4 42 93 38 89
E-mail: anom.aix@culture.gouv.fr
A database of vital records from the former French colonies is available at http://anom.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr [French only].
Centre des Archives diplomatiques de Nantes (CADN) [French only]
This archive holds the vital records of French nationals in the former French colonies of Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Syria more than 100 years old.
Address: 17, rue de Casterneau, 44000 Nantes
Telephone: (33) 2 51 77 24 59
Fax: (33) 2 51 77 24 60
E-mail: archives.cadn@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Ministère des Affaires étrangères, Service central d’Etat civil
This archive holds the records of the vital events of French nationals occurring abroad or in the former French colonies less than 100 years ago.
Address: 11, rue de la Maison Blanche, 44941 Nantes Cedex 09
Service Historique de la defense
This archive holds the records of France’s Ministry of Defense, including individual files on officers of the three armed forces and the national Gendarmerie from the 18th century on, a register of French military casualties in the First World War, files on Holocaust resistance networks, and concentration camp registers. Conscription record databases for some departments are available here. (Type the following in the search box “la liste des instruments de recherche publiés et disponibles en ligne”)
