Saone-et-Loire, France Births, 1546-1905

This database contains birth data indexed from original parish and civil vital records by members of the Association Cercle Généalogique de Saône-et-Loire. Records approximately cover the years 1546-1905 for the department of Saône-et-Loire, located in southeastern France.

Information listed in this database includes:

• Name of child
• Gender
• Birth date
• Birth place
• Names of parents

Historical Background:

Government civil registration was instituted in France in 1792. Both Catholic and Protestant church records began being kept in the mid-1500s. Church records, therefore, are especially important for genealogical research before 1792.

Where to go from here:

Use the information found in this database to obtain a copy of an original birth or christening record. Original records include birth certificates, and birth and christening registers (both civil and ecclesiastical).

For years where both church and civil records are available, you will likely want to obtain copies of both record types, as the information provided in each may be different. Birth and christening records may include details about the parents of the child such as their residences, occupations, birth information, ages, and even witnesses’ names. The difference in the information provided will vary according to whether the record is civil or ecclesiastical, as well as the time period in which the record was created.