What were the professions of your ancestors?

Have you found information about the trades (s) that your ancestors have exercised? We guide you in this article.

Where to find the professions of our ancestors?

Several archive sources can allow you to find information on the professions of your ancestors:

• In civil status acts - marriage, death and birth of children

• In population censuses

• In military registers for men

• In the notarial archives (inventory after death, lease, contracts, etc.)

• In the ancient press

• In family photos

Why find the professions of our ancestors?

Finding the professions of our ancestors is ideal for having an idea of their living conditions, their financial level and on their level of education.

In addition, it is interesting to learn more about their occupations to realize their place in society and their social circle.

Besides, did you know? Many of our ancestors had several professions at the same time. Indeed, since it is said that 80% of the French population at the end of the old regime were peasants, it was important for them to adapt their activity according to the seasons.

Learn more about the professions of our ancestors

There are several online resources to allow us to know more about their businesses. We can thus discover appellations which would have evolved over time and regions, as well as unusual and disappeared professions of yesteryear today.

• Old trades : the reference database on the trades of the past

• Picturesque France : many businesses of yesteryear explained

• The list of old professions on Wikipedia : to enrich your knowledge

• Ancient professions in Geneawiki : Wikis useful for genealogy

• The professions of our ancestors on the French Review of Genealogy

• SNCF archives : to find out more about our railroaden ancestors

• The genealogical base of the Musée du Compagnonnage de Tours : to find information on “masters” or “companion” ancestors

• The Archives of the Historical Defense Service : for our military ancestors

• The retrospective directory of the judiciary : for magistrates ancestors

• The Nomad memory page : to find hawkers, beggars, bohemians, fairgrounds ...

• The 19th century French patent base : to find information on inventor ancestors

• The union of genealogical circles of corporate