Lorraine genealogy relates to the research of family history in the cultural region and historical territory known as Lorraine (also Lothringen) in eastern France along the border with Germany. People from this territory are called Lorrainians or Lorraines.
Lorraine is part of a larger historical territory with Alsace known as Alsace-Lorraine. The region has alternated between French and German control over the centuries and as a result it is a mix of those cultures.
Today Lorraine consists of four modern-day departments: Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle and Vosges. The department of Haute-Marne has also historic ties to the region. Lorraine is part of the French région Grand Est.
People from Lorraine can be found in French collections on MyHeritage, including France Church Baptisms & Civil Births, France Church Marriages & Civil Marriages, France Church Burials & Civil Deaths, the 1872 France Census and the 1906 France Census.
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Historical contextHistorical context
An old territory in the Holy Roman Empire, the area known as Lorraine today has been referred to throughout history as Lotharingia, Upper Lorraine, Lower Lorraine and the Duchy of Lorraine.
Its original name (Lotharingia) derives from Lothair I, a Holy Roman Emperor and grandson of Charlemagne who ruled the land until his death in 855. This translated to roughly "Lothair's land." It became known as Lothringen in German, while in French it became Lorraine.
The territory was conquered by German King Henry I in 925 and it was divided into Upper Lorraine and Lower Lorraine in 959.[1]
In the following centuries, Lorraine went back and forth between French and German rule. It was broken into French departments as part of the French Revolution.[1] Lorraine belonged to the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) but returned to France after World War I.
A dialect of German is spoken in Lorraine, but today its people overwhelmingly speak French as their primary language. The area still has a strong German influence, especially in Moselle, where German is more commonly spoken than other parts of Lorraine.[2]
Geography in LorraineGeography in Lorraine
Lorraine is filled with forests and hills. It is bordered on the east by the Vosges Mountains. Numerous waterways flow through Lorraine, including the rivers Meuse which flows from south to north, the Meurthe, Moselle, Saône, Aisne, and Aire.
Agriculture is common in Lorraine with numerous villages and towns dotted with farms and cattle. The region is known for iron ore and coal deposits that led to significant industrialization in the late 19th century.[1]
Geography plays a part in attracting to tourism in Lorraine with the Vosges Mountains attracting both hiking and skiing enthusiasts.[1] Canals are useful for boat excursions and the region also has extensive rail and motorway networks.
Administrative Districts in LorraineAdministrative Districts in Lorraine
Located in the French région Grand Est, Lorraine divides up into 4 departments: Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle and Vosges. Each of these break down into arrondissements (administrative divisions):
| Meurthe-et-Moselle | Meuse | Moselle | Vosges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunéville | Bar-le-Duc | Forbach-Boulay-Moselle | Épinal |
| Nancy | Commercy | Metz | Neufchâteau |
| Toul | Verdun | Sarrebourg-Château-Salins | Saint-Dié-des-Vosges |
| Val-de-Briey | Sarreguemines | ||
| Thionville |
Identifying the arrondissement can be useful for genealogical research as some records may be grouped to that particular area. It is important to check neighboring towns or parishes for records in the arrondissement of interest for additional family connections and social relationships.
Lorrainian surnamesLorrainian surnames
Surnames with both German and French origins are common in Lorraine. Some of the most popular surnames in the region include:
Learn more about French surnames and German surnames.
Notable people from LorraineNotable people from Lorraine
Lorraine is home to many well-known people including:
- Joan d'Arc, Catholic saint & folk heroine
- Jacques Callot, engraver, painter & printing pioneer
- Nicolas Chopin, teacher & father of composer
- Émile Durkheim, sociologist & professor
- Patricia Kaas, singer & recording artist
- Edmund Laguerre, mathematician & professor
- Louis Camille Maillard, chemist & physicist
- Charles Messier, astronomer
- Raymond Poincaré, President & Prime Minister of France
- Florent Schmitt, composer & music critic
Types of recordsTypes of records
Civil registration records, which began in 1793, and church records are the primary sources of information for those conducting genealogy research in Lorraine.
Both sets of records are indexed in the following collections on MyHeritage:
- France Church Baptisms & Civil Births on MyHeritage
- France Church Marriages & Civil Marriages on MyHeritage
- France Church Burials & Civil Deaths on MyHeritage
It is important to identify the French department in Lorraine to find original images of these records or additional record collections. Online archives are available by department:
- Meurthe-et-Moselle: Civil registers, parish registers, notaries, censuses, maps, military registrations
- Meuse: Civil registers, parish registers, censuses, maps, military registrations
- Moselle: Civil registers, parish registers, censuses, military registrations
- Vosges: Civil registers, parish registers, censuses, military registrations
Additional records for the Lorraine region or pertaining to people from Lorriane can be found in the following collections:
- 1872 France Census on MyHeritage
- 1901 France Census on MyHeritage
- 1906 France Census on MyHeritage
- France Vital Records on MyHeritage
- Immigration & Emigration Records on MyHeritage
See alsoSee also
Explore more about Lorraine genealogyExplore more about Lorraine genealogy
- How to Research Your Ethnicity with Genealogy on the MyHeritage Genealogy Hub
- The Germanic French - Researching Alsatian and Lorrainian Families by John Philip Colletta at Family Tree Legacy Webinars
- Researching French Genealogy on MyHeritage by Daniella Levy on MyHeritage
- Researching German Ancestors on MyHeritage by James M. Beidler on MyHeritage
- An overview of the massive new record collection from France by Elisabeth Zetland on MyHeritage
- French Emigrants: They Were Not All Huguenots, or Nobles, or from Alsace-Lorraine by Anne Morddel at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Lorraine | History, Culture, Geography, & Map | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
- ↑ Babbel.com; GmbH, Lesson Nine. "What Languages And Dialects Are Spoken In Alsace-Lorraine?". Babbel Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-19.