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
These records are written in French. For help reading them see:
 * France Language and Languages
 * French Genealogical Word List
 * French Handwriting
 * Brigham Young University: Script Tutorial for French

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.

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

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

Francia, Finistère, Quimper et Léon Diócesis, Registros parroquiales católicos (Registros históricos de FamilySearch) França, Finisterra, Quimper et Léon Diocese, Registros de Paróquia Católica (Registros Históricos Históricos do FamilySearch)