The Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71
If your ancestors lived in France 150 years ago, their lives have inevitably been impacted by the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. It was a short
What French DNA looks like
A few years back, in 2016 and 2018, Yvette Hoitink from the blog “Dutch Genealogy” published posts about her DNA ethnicity estimates to show what
DNA testing in France
If you have French heritage, you might wonder why you don’t have many French DNA matches. Here is an overview of DNA testing in France
How to find old maps of France online
Google maps and Google streetview are very helpful to discover what your ancestors’ hometown looks like nowadays. But most of the time, landscapes and towns
Using Gallica to get to know your French ancestors
If you want to find more information about your French ancestors’ lives, you should use Gallica. It’s the digital library of the National library of
Finding your ancestors in Paris
Paris is often considered as a “black hole” for French Genealogy: most people fear that if they find ancestors who were born in Paris, they
Understanding records from the French Revolution
The Revolutionary period (between 1792 and 1806) can be quite challenging for French genealogy. There are two main reasons for this. First, because during this
Where to find French archives: an overview of French administrative divisions
In France, archives are organized based on administrative divisions. This is why it is important to understand French administrative divisions when you want to research
How to use French census records
French census records (“recensements” in French) are a great resource if you want to know more about the living conditions of your French ancestors: how
The Thirty years’ war in north-eastern France
The Thirty years’ war lasted from 1618 to 1648 and played an important part in the history of north-eastern France. It is considered to be