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History, archives and genealogy

A shared name is not enough to identify an ancestor. Research progresses by linking dated documents, places and people.

Getting started

Start with a documented name, place and period; identify the relevant archive service and note references of records consulted.

Before deciding

Separate hypotheses from established links. Respect archive access conditions and living people’s privacy.

Choose a source and keep useful references

Compare resources

The Archives nationales introduce collections; the BnF guide helps organise genealogy research. Identify the document's producer before searching names.

Prepare your research

Prepare a record with person, place, period and archival reference. Connect each family relationship to evidence and keep unresolved hypotheses separate.

Practical questions

How can I distinguish people with the same name?

Cross-check places, dates, family relationships and document references. Keep alternative hypotheses until evidence separates them; a name match in an index does not establish ancestry.

Does a missing name in an index prove there is no record?

Check covered dates, locality, spelling variants and index type. Find the collection inventory before concluding; a document may not be digitised, indexed or accessible through that same tool.

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