Put your knowledge of French genealogy research to the test with these 15 questions! You might discover something new, learn a useful research tip, or even uncover a mistake to avoid in your journey into the past. Whether you are a beginner or already researching your French ancestors, there’s always something new to learn or revisit!
So… Bonne chance, and no cheating!
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1. Where should you start your genealogy research?
- A – With the oldest ancestor you can find
- B – With yourself and your closest relatives
- C – With a famous ancestor
- D – With the surname you want to research
- E – With Charlemagne, because if you have French ancestors, you probably descend from him
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Correct answer: B
Start with yourself! Write down your full name, date and place of birth, then do the same for your parents, grandparents, and your closest relatives. Begin with what you know. Gather family documents, photographs, and stories from relatives. They are so important and fascinating!
The golden rule of genealogy is to work backward, one generation at a time, using records to support what you discover.
About Charlemagne, though… If you have French ancestors, yes: you probably descend from him!
2. Which French record is most likely to give you the date and place of an ancestor’s birth?
- A – A census record
- B – A military record
- C – An acte de naissance (birth record)
- D – A property record
- E – Edith Piaf’s 1962 Olympia record. (Check the B-side for the birth date!)
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Correct answer: C
An acte de naissance (birth record) is the best place to find an ancestor’s date and place of birth. French civil registration records usually include the child’s name, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Depending on the period, you may also find additional details in the margins, such as a marriage, divorce or death.
Pay attention to the witnesses listed on the record, too. They may provide valuable clues for your family research and help you discover family relationships.
🌿 To discover how to find and use French vital records, explore my section Vital records (Parish and Civil registration), with practical guidance and examples to help you in your research.
3. What is a French commune?
- A – A type of census
- B – A local administrative area, often a town or village
- C – A family group
- D – A church record
- E – My favorite chocolate French dessert
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Correct answer: B
In France, a commune is the smallest level of local government, usually a town or village. Knowing the correct commune is essential for genealogy research, as civil and church records are generally kept locally. If you are unsure where your ancestor lived, the archives départementales (departmental archives) can help you explore records for the relevant area.
🌿 To learn more about France’s geographical structure and how to access the online archives départementales, visit my section “Regions and Departments of France“.
4. Where can you often find historical French civil registration records online?
- A – On the website of the relevant archives départementales
- B – Only on paid genealogy websites
- C – Only in the town hall
- D – On the website of the French national library
- E – On Google, between cat videos and recipes for crêpes
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Correct answer: A
Many French archives départementales (departmental archives) have digitized historical civil registration records and made them available online for free. Once you know the department and commune where your ancestor lived, you can often consult birth, marriage, and death records from home. Keep in mind that the available records and date ranges vary from one department to another.
🌿 To learn more about France’s geographical structure and how to access the online archives départementales, visit my section “Regions and Departments of France“.
5. True or false? Two people with the same name who lived in the same French village must be the same person.
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False! And they are not twins either!
And this is where genealogy can drive you crazy! You may find several people named Jean Martin living in the same village, sometimes across multiple generations and within the same extended family. Always check their parents, spouses, siblings, dates, and other available details before deciding you have found the right person. The name alone is never enough!
6. What should you do if an ancestor’s surname is spelled differently in two records?
- A – Assume one record is incorrect
- B – Ignore the record with the unusual spelling
- C – Compare dates, places, relatives, and other details
- D – Change every record to match the most common spelling
- E – Assume your ancestor changed their name to confuse future genealogists
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Correct answer: C
Surname spellings can vary from one record to another, even for the same person! Spelling was not always consistent, and names could be written as they sounded. Never dismiss a record simply because the surname looks different. Compare dates, places, parents, spouses, and other details to determine whether the records refer to the same person. You may uncover a family connection you would otherwise have missed!
7. What is a French table décennale?
- A – An alphabetical list of births, marriages, and deaths over a ten-year period
- B – A record of the population of France every ten years
- C – A list of all French military veterans
- D – A record of property ownership over ten years
- E – A fancy French dinner table for exhausted genealogists
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Correct answer: A
A table décennale is an alphabetical index of births, marriages, and deaths recorded in a French commune and covering a ten-year period, usually grouped by type of record. These alphabetical lists make genealogy research much easier because you can quickly locate an ancestor’s name and identify the year of the original record. They are especially useful when you don’t know the exact date of an event. Once you find an entry, you can look for the original record in the civil registers.
🌿 To help you understand French genealogy terms, visit my section “Do you read French? Glossary“.
8. True or false? A genealogy website’s family tree is proof that every relationship and information shown in it is correct.
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False.
Family trees on genealogy websites can be wonderful starting points, but they are not proof that the information is correct. Errors can be copied from one tree to another and repeated for years! Always look for original records, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, to verify each relationship before adding it to your own tree. When you reach nobility, you will also find plenty of resources. Remember: someone else’s research is a clue, not a guarantee!
9. Which document can help you discover the names of a French ancestor’s parents?
- A – A modern map of France
- B – A birth record (acte de naissance)
- C – A list of French surnames
- D – A photograph of the village church
- E – Your ancestor’s Facebook profile
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Correct answer: B
A French acte de naissance (birth record) usually names the child’s parents, making it an excellent source for tracing your family tree back another generation. It may also provide their ages, occupations, and places of residence, giving you additional clues for your research. Remember to check the entire record, including any marginal notes and witnesses, for further information.
🌿 To discover how to find and use French vital records, explore my section Vital records (Parish and Civil registration), with practical guidance and examples to help you in your research.
10. What should you do when you cannot find a French ancestor’s birth record?
- A – Conclude that the ancestor never existed
- B – Immediately assume the records have been destroyed
- C – Search for alternative spellings, other records, and nearby dates or communes
- D – Move directly to researching medieval ancestors
- E – Pull your computer cord and scream
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Correct answer: C
Don’t give up! A missing birth record doesn’t mean your research has reached a dead end. Try different spellings of the surname, check a wider range of dates, and use Google Maps to look at neighboring communes. You can also search for marriage and death records, census records, military records, or other documents that may provide clues. Genealogy requires patience, persistence, a little detective work, and… intuition!
Answer E is so tempting sometimes, but don’t give in… you’ll lose today’s research!
🌿 For more tips and guidance, explore my section Researching in France.
11. What is a livret de famille in France?
- A – A booklet recording a family’s civil status information
- B – A list of everyone living in a commune
- C – A register of church baptisms
- D – A document proving ownership of a family home
- E – A family book delivered straight to your door
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Correct answer: A.
A livret de famille is an official family booklet issued at marriage or when a child is born in certain circumstances. It records key civil status information about the couple and their children. If your family still has one, it can be a valuable source of genealogical clues.
🌿 To help you understand French genealogy terms, visit my section “Do you read French? Glossary“.
12. What is the difference between a registre paroissial (or registres paroissiaux) and a registre d’état civil?
- A – One records military service; the other records property
- B – One records religious events; the other records civil births, marriages, and deaths
- C – They are two names for exactly the same document
- D – One records only noble families; the other records everyone else
- E – A register to complain about the civil rights
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Correct answer: B
Before 1792, French births, marriages, and burials were mainly recorded in registres paroissiaux (parish registers) by the Church.
After 1792, births, marriages and deaths were recorded in registres d’état civil (civil registration records) by local civil authorities.
Knowing which type of register to search can help you find your French ancestors!
🌿 For more information, explore my section Vital records (Parish and Civil registration), with practical guidance and examples to help you in your research.
13. What information might a French marriage record reveal about your ancestors?
- A – Only the date of the wedding
- B – Only the names of the bride and groom
- C – Names of parents, ages, occupations, and places of residence
- D – The complete family tree of both spouses
- E – What store they registered at
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Correct answer: C
French marriage records can be particularly rich sources of information. Depending on the period, they may give the names of the couple’s parents, their ages, occupations, places of residence, and whether their parents are living or deceased. They can help you move back another generation and identify new records to search for.
14. What was the calendrier républicain?
- A – A calendar used by French churches throughout the Middle Ages
- B – A calendar introduced during the French Revolution, with different month and year names
- C – A calendar used only for military records
- D – A calendar introduced by Napoleon in the twentieth century
- E – The calendar that makes everyone lose their hair and ask, “Pardon, what day is it?”
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Correct answer: B
Introduced during the French Revolution, the calendrier républicain (Republican calendar) had different month names, such as Vendémiaire and Brumaire, and a different system for numbering years, beginning with An I (Year I) in 1792. It was officially used until December 31, 1805, when the Gregorian calendar was restored on January 1, 1806. It was briefly revived during the Paris Commune in May 1871.
You may encounter Republican dates in historical records, so knowing how to recognize them will be very helpful!
🌿 To learn how to read dates from the French Revolution, visit my pages French Republican Calendar: Understanding Dates During the French Revolution and Years and Months of the Republican Calendar.
15. Why is it important to record the source of each piece of information in your family tree?
- A – To make your family tree look more impressive
- B – To avoid having to research the same ancestor again
- C – To show where the information came from and allow it to be checked later
- D – To make sure every online tree agrees with yours
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Correct answer: C
Always record where you found your information, whether it is a civil record, a parish register, a census, a family document, or a reliable publication. Keeping track of your sources allows you to verify facts, correct mistakes, and explain your conclusions to other researchers. Good genealogy is not just about collecting names; it is about showing the evidence behind them.
So tell me… how did you do on the quiz? Did you find answers to any questions you had? Did you learn anything new? And be honest… did you cheat? 😉
I’d love to hear from you!
