Ain, France Genealogy

EuropeFrance Ain

Guide to Ain, France ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

History
Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France in the region Rhône-Alpes.The Department was created during the French Revolution and is subdivided into 9 districts, 49 cantons and 501 communes

Localities

 * List of communes in Ain
 * List of historic communes in Ain
 * GenCom, postal codes and some historic information
 * Geoportail
 * Locom-France

Online Church Records and Civil Registration
'''To begin your research start with Civil Registration and Church Records. Most of these records are online.'''
 * === Registres Paroissiaux et Etat civil (Church Records and Civil Registration) ===
 * Ain Departmental Archives
 * Etat civil
 * Recensement de population
 * Répertoires de notaires
 * Plans cadastraux
 * Hypothèques
 * Cartes postales
 * Photographies
 * Listes électorales
 * Gravures
 * Annuaires administratifs et commerciaux
 * Pour les plus curieux
 * Recensement militaire
 * Tables de successions
 * Journaux === Websites ===
 * Ain FranceGenweb
 * Archives Départementales
 * Tout en Un
 * Ain-Genealogie
 * Protestants de l'Ain
 * ArborisGen Généalogie des Pays de l'Ain
 * Association CousAin pour une généalogie partagée gratuitement
 * Relevés collaboratifs
 * Les bases de données locales gratuites
 * Genea-Bricolo
 * Memorhom
 * Cousins 01
 * Geneanet

Search Strategy

 * Search for the relative or ancestor you selected. When you find his birth record, search for the births of his brothers and sisters.
 * Next, search for the marriage of his parents. The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents.
 * You can estimate the ages of the parents and determine a birth year to search for their birth records.
 * Search the death registers for all known family members.
 * Repeat this process for both the father and the mother, starting with their birth records, then their siblings' births, then their parents' marriages, and so on.
 * If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.

Genealogical Societies

 * Geneawiki - Associations généalogiques en France
 * Etudes Généalogique de l'Ain (REGAIN)
 * Maison de la Vie Associative 2 boulevard Irène-Joliot-Curie 01006 Bourg-en-Bresse Cedex 6
 * Les adhérants et non adhérants peuvent acheter Les relevés de naissances, mariages et décès de toutes les communes de l'Ain.
 * Généalogie de l'Ain CousAin

How to Read the Records
For more instruction on using these records, see:

France Church Records

France Civil Registration- Vital Records
 * Chapter 1: OLD FRENCH RECORDS
 * Chapter 2: PARISH CHRISTENING AND CIVIL BIRTH ENTRIES
 * Chapter 3:MARRIAGE ENTRIES

Learning to Read Enough French to Do Genealogy

 * It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately.  Here are some resources for learning to read French records.
 * French Genealogical Word List
 * French Handwriting.


 * There is a three-lesson course in reading French Records:
 * Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The French Alphabet,
 * Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases
 * Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading French Records

Family History Centers
Centre d'Histoire Familiale de Chalons-sur Saône 32 rue de la Motte 71100 CHALON-SUR-SAONE, France Telephone +33 -03-85 43 20 90 Centre d'Histoire Familiale de Lyon 10 avenue de Verdun 69130 ECULLY, FRANCE Telephone: +33 04 78 33 31 79 Centre d'Histoire Familiale de Genèvem 32 avenue Louis-Casaï COINTRIN, 1216 SWITZERLAND Telephone:+41 22-798-6357
 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers