France - Death - 1792-Present

1. Death Certificate: Civil registration Beginning in 1792, the government required civil registrars to keep death records. Usually these records included more information than the church burial records that were kept during the same time.

What you are looking for Civil registers were the best source for determining when a person died. They included everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the person that died.

Why go to the next record Not all of the French civil registry records have been microfilmed.

2. Parish Register, Death: Church records Beginning about 1539, churches required their clergy to keep burial records. The burial record may include death dates. Information found in a burial depends on how detailed the minister made his record.

What you are looking for Church burial records were the best source for determining when a person died. They included nearly everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the deceased.

Why go to the next record Not all burial records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

3. Birth Certificate: Civil registration Beginning in 1792, the government required their clergy to keep birth records. If the father or mother appear in the christening record with a new spouse, it can be estimated that the first spouse died about two years before. These records can be used when death and burial records are not available.

What you are looking for Before searching baptismal records, civil registry birth records were the best source for determining when a person died. In the birth record next to the person's name, the civil registrar may put the symbol of a cross and death date, showing when they died. When the father or mother appears in the christening records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.

Why go to the next record Not all civil registry birth records have been microfilmed.

4. Baptism: Church records Beginning in 1539, many churches required their clergy to keep christening (or baptism) records. The records may include birth dates. Information may be recorded on or after the date of birth. Information found in a christening depends on how detailed the minister made his record.

What you are looking for If civil registry birth records were not available, church christening records were the best source for determining when a person died. In the christening record next to the person's name, the minister may put the symbol of a cross and death date, showing that the person died. When the father or mother appears in the christening records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.

Why go to the next record Not all French christening records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

5. Marriage Record: Civil registration Beginning in 1792, the government required civil registrars to keep marriage records. If the father or mother appear in the marriage record with a new spouse, it can be estimated that the first spouse died about a year before. These records can be used when death and burial records are not available.

What you are looking for Couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Second and third marriages may occur anytime after that. If christening records do not exist, civil registry marriage records are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the marriage records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.

Why go to the next record Not all civil registry marriage records have been microfilmed.

6. Parish Register, Marriage: Church records Beginning in 1539, churches required their clergy to keep marriage records. If the father or mother appear in the marriage record with a new spouse, it can be estimated that the first spouse died about a year before. These records can be used when death and burial records are not available.

What you are looking for Couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Second and third marriages may occur anytime after that. If civil marriage records do not exist, parish marriage records are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the marriage records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.

Why go to the next record Not all parish marriage records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

7. Probates: Notarial records Local court probate records provide information about the birth, marriage, and death of an individual. They can also help identify all the members of a family.

What you are looking for If parish marriage records do not exist, probate records are the best source for determining when a person died. Probate records may not give a death date, but the date of the probate is usually the year of death.

Why go to the next record Not all probate records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

8. Census: Census The town's census were not kept with any consistency or regularity. When an ancestor no longer appears in a census it means that the ancestor has either moved or died. These records can help identify all the members of a family and help determine where a family originated.

What you are looking for When probate records do not exist, census records are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the census record with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died sometime between that census and the previous one.

Why go to the next record Not all census records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

9. Regimental Roll: Military history District military records provide the date and place of birth of every male drafted in the army. The name of the father and his occupation may also be given. These records may also provide marriage and death information.

What you are looking for When citizenship records do not exist, military records are the best source for determining when a male died. Military records may not give an exact death date, but they provide the year of death.

Why go to the next record Not all military records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.