France, Coutances et d'Avranches Diocese, Catholic Parish Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in French
Registres paroissiaux, Eglise catholique

Record Description
Name index and images of Catholic parish registers recording events of baptism, marriage and burial in the Diocese of Coutances et d'Avranche. Parishes within this diocese are within the boundaries of the department of Manche.

Entries were made in chronological order, with the records being written in Latin. Confirmations were not consistently recorded.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Citation for This Collection
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Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in Baptismal entries may include the following information:




 * Name and sex of the child
 * Legitimacy of the child
 * Names of parents (Women are identified by their maiden names; mothers’ names were not required until after 1667.)
 * Sometimes the birth date
 * Baptismal date
 * Place of birth and baptism is the parish unless otherwise noted in the entry
 * Names of godparents

The key genealogical facts found in Marriage entries include the following information:




 * Names of the bride and groom
 * Previous marital status (This could be “previously unmarried” or “widow” or “widower,” with the name of deceased spouse listed.)
 * Marriage date
 * Residences and ages
 * Names of their 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.)
 * Maiden names of women

The key genealogical facts found in the Burial entries may include the following information:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Names of their parents (if unmarried) or name of the spouse
 * Burial date
 * Death date (sometimes)
 * Names of witnesses and sometimes their relationships to the deceased

How to Use the Records
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors 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 compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Parish registers are the best source for identifying individuals, parents, and spouses in France before 1792. Civil registration began in September 1792; after this date, civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths is equally important. The information recorded in the parish registers confirms the information found in the civil registers.

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page⇒Select the "Commune or Town" category⇒Select the "Parish Name" category⇒Select the "Year Range" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Related Websites
French Genealogy &amp; Family History

Related Wiki Articles

 * France
 * France Church Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"France, Coutances Catholic Diocese, 1802-1907," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRP9-G6B : accessed 23 April 2012), Marie Louise Henry, baptism 11 April 1856; citing Catholic parishes in France. Parish registers, Catholic Diocesan Archives, Coutances, France.