Specialized in Huguenots Genealogy
Family genealogy represents the research of the ancestors, and sometimes the descendants, of a given individual using civic registers.
In France, since 21 September 1792, the law has required that each birth, marriage and death is registered by the civic officer of the town or community. The registers are kept in duplicate - one copy at the town hall, and the other at the Clerk’s Office of the Tribunal. The registers are kept in place for one hundred years, during which they may be consulted by special dispension of the public prosecutor. Older records are transferred to the Regional Archives.
Archives of the Ancient Regime are also available at the Regional Archives.
The first records were kept after the ruling of Villers-Côtteret in August
1539, which required parish priests to keep records, in duplicate, of baptisms,
marriages and burials. Badly applied, it required the ruling of Saint Germain
en Laye in April 1667, and the royal declaration of April 9th 1736, to see such
registers suitably held for each parish.
Our study covers two french département with different histories.
The Haute-Vienne is the old frontier between the Langue d’Oc and Langue d’Oïl
regions, between the Aquitaine and the Kingdom of France. It is a farming region,
with a humid climat. The population has a Celtic/Roman culture.
The Vaucluse region was created by the French Revolution. It is a combination
of the ancient county of Venaissin, the principality of Orange, and the papal
enclaves. There is therefore a population of very diverse origins, with interbreeding
from the ancient unions with the passing Greeks, Romans, and also the Goths.
It is a Provençal land, washed by the Rhône, which has a very gentle
climate purified by the strong wind of the Rhône valley, the Mistral.
In addition to the traditional research on a commercial or warship, we offer a complete and thorough study of ships which have been lost at sea. Our study, including photos, plans and details of history, voyages and crews, is available to individuals, or professionals involved in the search for a wreck.
France has a unique system for the classification and listing of it’s land
-the cadastre, or register. Developed in the Napoleon era, the register was
constructed using the cartographic study made at the end of the Ancient Regime.
Although it does not have legal standing, it allows a rapid recognition of property
types and provides a large quantity of information.
This is complimented by the services of mortgage lenders, who give a fiscal
valuation of the land, and also by the archives of registration and those of
the notaires (French lawyers/solicitors) for inheritance and other transfers
of real estate.
Using these ressources, we can construct a complete history for a piece of land,
a house, or other building. What’s more, unlike the cadastre, the latter archives
have a legal value.
Most of us live and work in a business environment. The safe-guarding of
companies archives is therefore not only a measure of preserving their
heritage and their culture, but also an important link for future economic,
sociological and historical research.
Our office offers advice in achieving this goal. Also, through our historical
studies of businesses and their founders, we provide a communication tool.
Inheritance and people research covering more than a hundred years
As a professional Genealogist we have access to less than 100 years vital records with special authorization of the local District Attorney.
Military research is carried out at the Historical Services of the Armed Forces, where our thorough and detailed knowledge of the documents available facilitates our studies.
Le Service Historique de l’Armée de Terre - The Historical Service
of the Land Army
This centre is one of the oldest and best organized. It contains all the dossiers
of the senior officers of the French army since the Ancient Regime. Our office
has specialized in the regiments of the Ancient Regime such as the Scottish,
Irish or German regiments.
Le Service Historique de la Marine - The Historical Service of the Navy
The collection held by the Navy Historical Service is not large, since the oldest
of the records have been transferred to the National Archives. These records
are the most familiar in our office, and permit research of the personnel as
well as of ships. The collection is completed by documents held at the auxiliary
depots of Rochefort, Brest, Lorient, Cherbourg and Toulon.
Le Service Historique de l’Armée de l’Air - The Historical Service
of the Air Force
This contains the files of the officers of the Air Force. It also holds records
of all planes which have crashed on French soil during the World Wars.
Le Service Historique de la Gendarmerie - The Historical Service of the Gendarmerie
This is the newest of the historical services, and it’s collection is currently
being built up.
Our office performs research at the requests of individuals, ex-servicemen, associations and groups, ranging from the brief biography of an officer to the entire history of a regiment or campaign.