France, Protestant Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

France

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains various Protestant church records collected and held by La Société de l’Histoire du Protestantisme Français from Protestant churches located in a variety of locations in France though principally Parisian. They included records from the Église réformé de Paris (Reformed church of Paris), Église méthodiste (Methodist Church), and the Église évangelique (Evangelical Church). This collection includes records from 1536-1897. The records vary in format depending on the church and location and time the church records were created. Some records are on printed forms, others are handwritten. The records are written in French. This collection was created to record the baptisms, marriages, and burial information of the individuals who were members of the religious organization. The records are a reliable source for doing French genealogical research.

Reading These Records
For help reading these French records see the following guides:
 * France Language and Languages
 * French Genealogical Word List
 * French Handwriting
 * Script Tutorial for French
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading French Handwritten Records

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Baptism records may contain the following information: Marriage records may contain the following information: Death records may contain the following information:
 * Name and Gender of the Child
 * Name of Parents
 * Mother's Maiden Name
 * Baptismal Date
 * Place and Date of Birth
 * Godparents (some records only)
 * Names of the Bride and Groom
 * Birthplace of Bride and Groom
 * Names of parents of Bride and Groom
 * Occupation of Groom
 * Place of Residence of Bride and Groom
 * Date and Place where the Person Died
 * Name of the Deceased, Age or Date and Place of Birth
 * Cause of Death (illness, accident, senility, etc.)
 * Residence of the Deceased

How Do I Search This Collection?
To search by image:
 * 1) Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page
 * 2) Select the "Country" category
 * 3) Select the "Department and Commune" category
 * 4) Select the “Record Type and Year" category which takes you to the images

Look at each image or record comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images or records and compare the information about the individuals listed to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind there may be more than one person in the records with the same name and you will want to look carefully at dates, places and relations to identify your ancestor from another person. You also may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name if they were known by a nickname or changed their name from the original birth record name. Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life and may be listed in records with any of those variations. To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age in the citizen to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved, been recruited or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records in the country
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, one or the other collection may be more helpful
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"France, registres protestants, 1536-1897." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Societe de L'histoire du Protestantisme Francais (Society of the history of French Protestantism), Paris.
 * Collection Citation:

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