Genealogy in Ardèche (07): Find your ancestors in the archives

Genealogy antics - We guide you in the search for your ancestry in Ardèche, in archives, old cards, books, videos and images ...

Genealogy in Ardèche (07): Find your ancestors in the archives

©️Wikimedia - François Bassaget

Update: February 24, 2025


The Department of Ardèche, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, was created in 1790-initially appointed "Department of Sources de la Loire". It takes its name from the river that crosses it, the Ardèche. The territory which composes it corresponds in almost all to the old province of Vivarais.

It is bordering on the departments of Drome, of Vaucluse, of Gard, from the Lozère, from the Haute-Loire, from the Loire andIsère.


📜 Archives of the Ardèche


Departmental archives in Ardèche


Go to the Departmental Archives:

📍 14 Place André Malraux, 07000 Privas


Contact the Departmental Archives:

📞  04 75 66 98 00

📧  Contact section


Consult the Departmental Archives website:

🖥️ Link to the AD website


Consult the digitized funds in search of your Ardéchois ancestors: 



Online acts


Unusual acts

  • A man knocked out with great stone, fidgety, being a godfather at five and many others on the J. Marchal site.


🧳 Migration in the Ardèche


  • Origins : The first traces of human occupation in Ardèche date back to prehistory, with sites such as the Chauvet cave, decorated with paintings dating back more than 30,000 years.

    During Antiquity, the territory was inhabited by the Helviens, a Gallic tribe, before being integrated into the Roman Empire.

    The Middle Ages sees the emergence of many lordships and the construction of strong castles, some of which still remain today.


  • 19th century : pour le department de l’Ardèche, le 19th century est synonyme de développement. Les industries de la soie, of papier et de la mine ainsi que l’agriculture permettent au department de s’étendre et d’atteindre son pic de population (plus de 388 500 habitants) en 1861. Néanmoins, l’Ardèche reste un department rural. Le déclin important de ses industries et de l’agriculture (crise du phylloxéra) entraînera une émigration record, comptant plus du tiers des Ardéchois, au milieu du XXe siècle.

    Dès le début des années 1900, de nombreux Italiens et Espagnols viendront travailler dans le department. Les Ardéchois accueilleront des Arméniens fuyant le génocide.


  • War and post-war : L'Entre-deux-war is marked by an emigration to major French cities, where Ardéchois are looking for better economic opportunities.


To find out more: 



🎞️ The Ardèche in pictures

Videos 



Les images et cartes postales anciennes



Les cartes anciennes du department

  • Des villages de Cassini aux communes d’aujourd’hui : Le department de l’Ardèche
  • Sur Old Maps Online : Les cartes anciennes du department
  • Sur Gallica : Les cartes anciennes de l’Ardèche


📖 The story of the Ardèche told



Sur Gallica : Les books, there press and manuscript pour tout savoir sur le department de l’Ardèche



💬 The 50 most worn surnames in Ardèche


Top 10 surnames in Ardèche: 

  • Faure
  • Reynaud
  • MILL
  • ROCK
  • Martin
  • REDHEAD
  • Mounier
  • Teyssier
  • Coste
  • Bernard


les 40 autres noms de famille les plus populaires dans le department (d'après le INSEE file): 

  • CAP
  • Durand
  • Bertrand
  • Chambon
  • Robert
  • Arnaud
  • Dumas
  • WHITE
  • Laurent
  • Volle
  • Valette
  • Astier
  • Chareyre
  • Rod
  • Michel
  • BROWN
  • Guy
  • Vernet
  • Giraud
  • Fargier
  • Vincent
  • Breysse
  • Rey
  • TIGHT
  • Ollier
  • Boyer
  • PASCAL
  • Valley
  • Vialle
  • Riou
  • Courtyard
  • BROWNEL
  • Fanget
  • Perrier
  • Bouchet
  • Cros
  • Jouve
  • Laffont
  • Valley
  • COUNTY


🖥️ Genealogy sites in Ardèche


Genealogy circles and associations in the Ardèche


Les blogs de généalogie qui parlent de l’Ardèche


Facebook groups 



Bonnes recherches ! 



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