France, Finistère, Quimper et Léon Diocese, Catholic Parish Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of church records from Diocese of Quimper et Léon for the years 1772-1894. This collection is currently being published alphabetically by parish name, so additions to the collection will follow as other parishes are published in the future. In 1539, François I issued the edict of Villers-Cotterêts, which required the Catholic Church to record baptisms. In 1579 the edict of Blois required the church in France to register marriages and burials. In 1667, the Code Louis required that two copies of the registers be kept, with one deposited at the bailliage.

In earlier years, separate registers were maintained for baptisms, marriages, and burials, but by the end of the seventeenth century entries for the separate ordinances were generally intermingled. By the latter half of the nineteenth century, pre-printed forms began to be used with the date and names written in by the officiating priest.

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?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptismal
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Birth date of child
 * Name and gender of child
 * Legitimacy of child
 * Names of parents
 * Names of grandparents
 * Names of godparents

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Previous marital status (this could be “previously unmarried” or be “widow” or “widower.”
 * Their residences and ages
 * Names of groom's parents
 * Names of bride's parents
 * Names of the witnesses and their relationship to the bride and groom
 * Publication dates of the banns (This usually occurred three separate times before the marriage, allowing people to state any objections to the marriage.)
 * Women are always identified by their maiden name.

Burial
 * Date and place of burial
 * Date and place of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Age of deceased
 * Names of their parents (if unmarried) or name of the spouse
 * Names of witnesses and with their relationship to the deceased

Collection Content
The index to this collection refers to baptism, marriage, and burial records. Baptismal record entries are the most common in the index, followed by burial records, with marriage records constituting the smallest portion.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before beginning a search in these records, it is best to know the full name of the individual in question, as well as an approximate time range for the desired record. When entered into the search engine on the Collection Page, this information provides the quickest, most reliable path to finding the correct person. Of course, other information can be substituted as necessary.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Department
 * 2) Select Township
 * 3) Select Parish
 * 4) Select Record Type and Year Range to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

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

 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see below for assistance in citing this collection. Save or print a copy of the image if possible
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Note that family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage

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

 * Consult the France Record Finder to find other records
 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records
 * Check for variants of given names and surnames. For much of the period of this collection, spelling was not standardized; pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation. Simple clerical errors were also always possible. Furthermore, individuals were often listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name. For women, remember that it was not uncommon to revert to a maiden name after the death of a husband
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches. Alternatively, try expanding the date range; this is especially useful in searching baptismal records, as it was not unusual for a child to be baptized weeks or even months after birth
 * Search the records of nearby parishes. While it was uncommon for an individual in this period to move more than about 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller relocations were not uncommon. Note that marriages usually took place in the parish where the bride resided
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in France.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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.

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