View source for Bouches-du-Rhône, France Genealogy

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Guide to '''Bouches-du-Rhône Department ancestry, family history and genealogy:''' birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.
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== History==
Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. After it was created it lost part of its territory in 1793, including Orange and Apt, when the Vaucluse department was created.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Bouches-du-Rhône," ''Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouches-du-Rhône (accessed October 30, 2018).</ref>

== Localities (Communes)  ==

*[http://www.francegenweb.org/communes/liste.php?dept=13 FranceGenWeb]
*[http://www.locom.org/loc_listcomd.php?d=13 Locom]
*[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_communes_des_Bouches-du-Rh%C3%B4ne Wikipedia]
*[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_anciennes_communes_des_Bouches-du-Rh%C3%B4ne Wikipedia, former localities] 
== Church Records and Civil Registration (Registres Paroissiaux et Etat civil) Online ==
'''The vast majority of your research will be in church records and civil registration.''' For more information on these records and how to use them, read [[France Church Records|'''France Church Records''']] and [[France Civil Registration- Vital Records|'''France Civil Registration''']]. Additional instructions and practice activities are available:
*'''Alsace-Lorraine''' - [[Media:Alsace-Lorraine_-_activity.pdf|Activity]], [[Media:Alsace-Lorraine_-_answer_key.pdf|Answer Key]]
*'''Alsace-Lorraine: Department Archive Records Online''' - [[Media:Alsace-Lorraine,_Department_Archive_Records_Online_-_instructions.pdf|Instruction]]<br>
'''Fortunately, these records are available online from the archives of each department:''' <br>
Here is the website for the '''Department Archives of Bouches-du-Rhône''', where you will find these records.<br>
*[http://ligeo.archives13.fr/archive/recherche/etatcivil/n:64 '''Department Archives of Bouches-du-Rhône''']

See [[Using France Online Department Archives|'''Using France Online Department Archives''']] for step by step instructions on finding and reading these records. For a demonstration of navigating archives websites, watch the video, [https://www.familysearch.org/ask/learningViewer/1735 '''Using France Department Archives Online.''']

==Online Census Records==
Census records can support your search in civil and church records.  They can help identify all family members.  When families have similar names they help determine which children belong in each family. See [[France Census|'''France Census''']].
*[http://ligeo.archives13.fr/archive/recherche/recensement2/n:45 '''Online census records, Department Archives of Bouches-du-Rhône''']

==Online Local Databases and Extracted Records==
Groups devoted to genealogy have also extracted and/or indexed records for specific localities, time periods, religious groups, etc. Since church records at the departmental archives are generally not indexed, you might find an index here that will speed up your searching.
*'''FamilySearch Collections:'''
**'''1536-1897''' - {{RecordSearch|1582585|'''France, Protestant Church Records''', 1536-1897}}  at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images
**'''1542-1900''' - {{RecordSearch|2840446|'''France, Civil Registration, Various Communes''', 1542-1900}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1743 Marseilles, France Marriages, 1810-1915], index, ($)
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Portail:Bouches-du-Rh%C3%B4ne '''Tout en Un (All in One) Online Databases''']  Check for online databases and records in right column.  Check back occasionally to see if new databases have become available.
*[https://en.filae.com/v4/genealogie/searchapi.mvc/navigationbysources '''Filae'''], index and images, ($).
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/liens.php?ty=bddep#d13 '''Tout en Un (All in One) Local Databases''']  Here you may find extracted/translated records, record indexes, and other helpful records such as cemetery, land, or military records.
*[https://en.geneanet.org/collaborative-indexes/geo/FRA/F13/france-bouches-du-rhone '''Geneanet Collaborative Indexes''']  Search by locality (parish or commune).
*[http://genea-bricolo.over-blog.com/article-7108278.html '''Genea-Bricolo''']
*[http://archivesenligne.marseille.fr/4DCGI/Web_Custompage/globalrechgt.shtm/ILUMP3453 '''Municipal Archives of Marseilles''']

==Microfilm Records of the FamilySearch Library==
The church and civil registration records have all been microfilmed. Currently, they are being digitized, and plans are to complete that project by 2020. Check back occasionally to see if your records have become available. In the meantime, some of them might be available at a [https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ '''Family History Center'''] near you. To find a microfilm:  Click on {{FHLPlace2|83549|France|Bouches-du-Rhône}}, find and click on "'''Places within France, Bouches-du-Rhône'''," and choose your locality from the list.

==Writing for Records==
Online records tend to cover only the time before 100 years, due to privacy laws.  You can write to civil registration offices and local churches who might honor requests for more recent records of close family members for the purpose of genealogy. <br>

For a civil registration office, address your request to:<br>

Monsieur l'officier de l'état-civil <br>Mairie de (Town) <br>(Postal code) (Town)<br>France <br>

For a parish church:<br>

Monsieur le Curé<br>
(Church --see [http://www.thecatholicdirectory.com/directory.cfm?fuseaction=show_country&country=FR The Catholic Directory] for church name and address)<br>
(Town) (Postal Code) France<br>

For other addresses and for help writing your request in French, use [[French Letter Writing Guide|'''French Letter Writing Guide.''']]

==Learning to Read Enough French to Do Genealogy==

It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them.  By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately.  Here are some resources for learning to read French records.
*[[French Genealogical Word List|French Genealogical Word List]]
*[[French Handwriting|French Handwriting]].
During the reign of Napoleon, a different calendar was used. You will want to translate the dates written in these records back to normal Julian calendar dates. Charts in this article will help you:
*[[French Republican Calendar]] <br>
Also, see:
*Alsace-Lorraine: Converting French Republican Calendar Dates - [[Media:Alsace-Lorraine,_Converting_French_Republican_Calendar_Dates_-_instruction.pdf|Instruction]]
<br>
There is a three-lesson course in reading handwriting in old French records: 
*{{LearningCenter2|83|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The French Alphabet}}, 
*{{LearningCenter2|84|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases}} 
*{{LearningCenter2|86|Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading French Records}}

These lessons focus on reading church record and civil registration records: 
*[[France Church Records|France Church Records]]
*[[France Civil Registration- Vital Records|France Civil Registration- Vital Records]]
<br>
Another resource is the [https://script.byu.edu/Pages/the-french-documents-pages/fr-records-extraction-guide(english) '''French Records Extraction Manual''']. The full manual or individual lesson chapters are downloadable from this webpage. A number of helpful lessons are available here, but the first five lessons are especially useful.
*Chapter 1: Old Records
*Chapter 2: Christening, Marriage, and Other Entries
*Chapter 3: Marriage
*Chapter 4: Other Entries
*Chapter 5: French Handwriting and Spelling

==Search Strategy==
*Search for the relative or ancestor you selected. When you find his birth record, search for the births of his '''brothers and sisters'''. 
*Next, search for the '''marriage of his parents.''' The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents. 
*You can '''estimate the ages''' of the parents and search for their birth records. 
*Search the '''death registers for all family members.'''
*Then '''repeat the whole process''' for both the father and the mother. 
*If earlier generations are not in the record,''' search neighboring parishes. '''

==Genealogical Societies and Help Groups==

*[http://www.francegenweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Associations_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9alogiques_des_Bouches-du-Rh%C3%B4ne Bouches-du-Rhône Wiki GenWeb Associations]
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Liste_d%27%C3%A9change_-_Provence-Alpes-C%C3%B4te%20d%27Azur Bouches-du-Rhône Forums]
*[https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernEuropeGenealogyResearchCommunity/ Southern Europe Genealogy Research Community]
<br>

*'''Association Généalogique des Bouches-du-Rhône]''' <br>
:BP 22 <br>
:13243 MARSEILLE CEDEX 01<br>
:France<br>
:*[http://www.ag13.org/ '''Website''']<br>

== Family History Centers ==
[[Introduction to Family History Centers| '''Introduction to Family History Centers''']] 
*Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of FamilySearch and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States), located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy and family history by:
**Giving personal one-on-one assistance to patrons
**Providing access to genealogical records through the '''Internet''' or '''microfilm loan''' program
**Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)
*There is no cost to visit a Family History Center or FamilySearch Library. They are open to anyone with an interest in genealogical research. They are operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
*Partner sites such as Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, FindMyPast.com, and many CD based collections can be searched free of charge.
[https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ '''Finding a Family History Center''']

== Websites  ==
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/indexall.php?dept=13 Tout en Un Bouches-du-Rhône]
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Portail:Bouches-du-Rhône GenWeb, Bouches-du-Rhône Portal]
*[http://www.francegenweb.org/sitescgw/c2/index.php?dept=13 Cousins 13]
*[http://www.geneanet.org/ Geneanet Surname Search]
*[https://fr.geneawiki.com/index.php/Portail:Sources_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9alogiques France Geneawiki Genealogical Sources] includes instructional discussions of various records available.
*[https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/French_Republican_Calendar French Republican Calendar]. This site will help you translate dates used by France from 24 October 1793 to 31 December 1805.
*There are parallel articles also available on the [https://familysearch.org/wiki/fr/France '''French Language Wiki'''].  Because they are maintained by different authors, links may be added there that do not appear here. Generally, the articles translate automatically to English when accessed.

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, France]]