France, Protestant Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
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 include. records from 1612 to 1906.

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.

Citation For This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in most Protestant Church baptism records may include the following information:


 * Name and sex of the child
 * Name of Parents
 * Mother's maiden name
 * Baptismal date
 * Place and date of birth
 * Godparents (some records only)

The key genealogical facts found in most Protestant Church marriage records may include the following information:


 * 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

The key genealogical facts found in most Protestant deaths records may include the following information:


 * 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 to Use the Record
Protestant church records are an excellent source for finding genealogical information about individuals who were not part of the Catholic Church in France.

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.

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "France, Protestant Church Records, 1612-1906" 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 if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
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.

Original images can be also ordered or viewed through the following:


 * 1) Microfilms and microfiche are available for viewing at your nearest FamilySearch Center. For information see: Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche.
 * 2) You may request a digital copy of items found in the Family History Library Catalog. For information see: https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Photoduplication_Services
 * 3) The archives of France are available at: http:/fr.geneawiki.com/index.php/Archives_en_ligne

Known Issues with This Collection
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.

Related Websites

 * France_Resources
 * France history (Site is in French)
 * Beginning Research in France: Part 1 of 2 (video and slides)
 * FamilySearch Blog: https://familysearch.org/blog/en/searching-french-family-history-records/
 * French Huguenots
 * La Société de L’Histoire du Protestantisme Français

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, Protestant Church Records, 1612-1906," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FGMX-7PB : accessed 23 April 2012), Jeanne Augustine Lebrun (1883).