Does anyone know how to do familly research in La Rochelle, about 1600? I am trying to find church records form the protestants there. Does any one know how to get info that far back?

I wish you good luck! Beem trying to do that for years & years. All Protestasnt records were destroyed by the Catholic regime at that time. Some day, maybe, someone will find some.

Thanks for fast respons, but not a very positiv one... I wish I could travel back in time! Probably the only way to find out. I guess I can just give up on that part of the family.. A part from the registration by the protestants, it did not exist any civil registration? I was sort of hoping that it would be some written down something somewhere. They did not have cencus then? The papers I need were probably about 40 years old by the time they got burned. The man I am looking for was a soldier (Coucheron). It did not exist a registry for the military either?

There is a recurring 'urban myth' about the absence of Protestante records in France. Whilst many of the church records were destroyed, in some areas they most certainly do exist and there is also a large amount of positive research done on Protestante families in France.

There are some records for the Protestante community in La Rochelle though they may not be available on line and they may not be within the church records, it depends on the name, where they lived and quite often, what they did for a living.

No civil registration that far back either I'm afraid, church monopoly on that sort of thing, it was how the cures etc made their money.

Regards

Tony Fuller

Do you have suggestions on where to find Protestant records for 18th century La Rochelle?

thanks!!

I am not sure of how but I have heard that much was distroyed about the records because of the revocation of the Edick of Nantes in 1685 when most people fled La Rochelle, as did my family. My family lost nearly every thing. they we wealthy and owned a large home and a large ship so they were able to escape under theat of death, all because of religion. The Catholic Church and the King of France (who was a relitive) were responsible!
If you want more info contact me at: sueannbee@aol.com

Hi, apologies for the late reply about 18th c records at La Rochelle.

It all depends on what yu want. By now all the records should be in the Archives Departemental for the area which, if memory serves me correctly, is 17, Charente Maritime and is at La Rochelle.

Though it does also depend on what records you are looking for - Catholic or Protestante, house records, notaires records, early Court records and the like. Some may be patchy but having worked in several of the Archives there, they're usually pretty good.

In France, by and large, local record keeping was and remains good though quite oftem Archives are not high priority so computerisation can be slow and while BMB records may be on film, lots of places dont do searches, especially general searches by name.

Regards

Tony Fuller
Editor, Huguenot Trails

Hi Sue

Sounds interesting - I'd like more information please.

Tony Fuller
Editor, Huguenot Families

Thank you.

Seen on this website:
http://www.genealogie17.com/gene17/communes_cm/rochelle_la.p...

Registres protestants pour la Rochelle:
-1561 at 1684
- (since 1685, the children of the Protestants must be baptized in the catholic religion)
- 1761 at 1793

(after 1793: see "Etat-Civil")