Ain, France Genealogy

Guide to Ain 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

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

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.



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