How to make the genealogy of a house thanks to the archives?

Looking for how to trace the story of a house? Many archives can help you, we tell you everything!

©️Pixabay - Lecreusois

Real estate genealogy is not always easy. Finding the trace of the successive owners, the date of origin of a house and its history is very interesting. We will present you in this article the list of some useful archives to start the genealogy of a house. 

Cadastre - Land archives

The cadastre brings together administrative plans to identify real estate properties in the municipalities of France.

Cadastral plan: Available free of charge for consultation online, le plan cadastral vous permet, à partir d’une adresse précise, de retrouver la section et le numéro de parcelle d’une maison. Cet « identifiant unique » vous sera utile pour retrouver la parcelle au fil du temps. Profitez-en pour noter les numéros de parcelles voisines, vous pourriez faire de belles découvertes dans les archives par la suite. 

The State of Sections Register : This register can be consulted in the departmental archives. It presents the sections in alphabetical order and then the plots in increasing digital order. You will discover the following information: Last name and first name of the owner, plot number, place called, nature of the soil and surface. 

The matrix of land properties: Available at the Departmental Archives. Start by referring to the owners' alphabetical table at the end of the volume. You will learn about the Folio number (on the page) corresponding to the owner's account in question. This folio identifies all the properties of the same owner and gives you the following indications: home of the owner (sometimes with the names of the former owners), the year of the transfer, the section and the plot number, the so -called place, the nature of the soil, the surface and the accounts of origin or destination of the plots with the folio numbers of the matrix useful to follow the succession of the various owners. You can then consult the matrix of the properties built for the following years. 

Property titles - Notarial archives 

The title of ownership: This document notes a property right. An original copy is kept for 100 years in the study of the notary before being transferred to the departmental archives. The most useful information in this document to make the genealogy of a house is the origin of the property (when mentioned) as well as its description which allows you to follow the condition of the house in time. 

Find a title of ownership in the Departmental Archives: Available under the 3rd sub-series at ADs, you must know the study as well as the name of the notary who wrote the act of property you are looking for. Refer to the alphabetical table of notaries, note the coast of the register corresponding to the period of your research. By searching the archives, at the sandstone of the property titles, you can go up the name of the previous owners.

Registration - Tax archives

Recording: Available under the 3Q sub-series at ADs, the registration fund brings together all notarial acts, legal acts, bailiff's exploits, private deeds as well as, and above all, property or building usufruct titles. You will need the name of the registration office (depending on the municipality of the home) and then consult the table of sellers and buyers. 

Others information sourcess 

Find family documents (photos and administrative documents)

Ask the family members if the house concerned has stayed in the family

Ask with neighbors, local merchants 

Look at the small details of the house

Good research!