Genealogy in Calvados (14): Find your ancestors online

Genealogy cheat sheet - Many online archives to guide you in your genealogy in Calvados: history, images, videos and more...

©️Wikimedia - Claude Shoshany

Updated: September 2, 2024

Located in the Normandy region, in the northwest of France, the Calvados department is a territory rich in history. The Calvados department was created during the French Revolution in 1790. It consists of part of the former province of Normandy. Bordered by the English Channel to the north and west, Calvados is surrounded by the departments of the Seine-Maritime, of the Eure, of the Orne and of the Manche. 

Its capital, Caen, is a historic city that played a crucial role in France's history, particularly during World War II. 

Calvados is famous for its Normandy Landing Beaches. Iconic sites like Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and Pointe du Hoc attract thousands of visitors from around the world every year.

📁 Calvados Archives 

Calvados Departmental Archives

Visit the Calvados Departmental Archives:

📍 61 rue de Lion-sur-Mer, 14000 Caen

Contact the Calvados Departmental Archives:

📞  02 31 47 18 50

📧  Contact the archives

Browse online archives of Calvados to search for your ancestors:

• Civil status
• Population censuses
• Military records
• Cadastre
• Notaries
• Admiralty and maritime registration
• Genealogical indexes
• Inheritance and absence records
• Maternity registers of Bérouville
• Press
• Books and monographs
• Magazines and periodicals
• Directories and almanacs

Online Records

• On FranceGenWeb: "Loose acts"  - Marriages - Migrant marriages  - Migrant marriages from Calvados - Notaries - Protestants
• Census data from 1836 to 1962 in Pont d'Ouilly
• Tables and records of 39,636 marriages from Bocage Virois

Unusual Records

• Contagion and the intendant's tour in the J. Marchal's website.

🗺 Migrations in Calvados

Migrations to and from the Calvados department and the Normandy region have been influenced by various historical, economic, and social factors. 

• Middle Ages : in the 9th and 10th centuries, the Vikings, originating from Scandinavia, invaded and colonized the Normandy region. Their leader, Rollon, obtained the territory of Normandy in 911 by the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, marking the beginning of the duchy of Normandy.

• Modern Era : in the 17th and 18th centuries, many Normans, including inhabitants of Calvados, emigrated to French colonies in North America, particularly to New France (current Canada) and Louisiana. These migrations were often motivated by economic and religious reasons. 

• 19th Century : with industrialization, many inhabitants of Calvados and Normandy migrated to major French cities, such as Paris, in search of better economic opportunities.
  
  At the end of the 19th century, a new wave of migration to the United States and Canada occurred, often motivated by agricultural crises and economic opportunities across the Atlantic.

• 20th Century : the two world wars led to massive population displacements. During World War II, Calvados was the site of the Normandy Landings, which led to significant population movements, including evacuations and resettlements.
  
  After World War II, reconstruction and industrialization attracted workers to Calvados and Normandy. Additionally, the region also experienced internal migration with rural inhabitants moving to urban centers. 

For more information:

• Italians in the iron mines of Calvados (1878-1950)
• Potigny, the 'Little Warsaw'
• Population movements in Calvados from 1890 to 1940
• The depopulation of the Lower Normandy countryside during the first half of the 19th century

🍏 Calvados in Images

Videos 

• The Apple and Cider - 1925
• Anglo-American Invasion in Normandy – 1944
• D-Day. August 23, 1944, Liberation of Lisieux
• The National Relief Trucks Bring Mail from Paris – 1944
• Launching of the M.S 'Louis Charles Schiaffino' and 'Ange Schiaffino'  - 1952
• Deauville Grand Prix  - 1954
• Modern Construction in Caen – 1957
• Helicopter-Bus Caen/Le Havre  - 1958
• Reconstruction in Caen, Falaise, Aunay sur Odon, Granville - 1959
• François André, Director of the Deauville Casino – 1959
• Trouville Elects the Most Beautiful Athlete – 1960
• The Making of Calvados  – 1966
• Commemoration of the Allied Landing on June 6, 1944 with MM Messmer and Triboulet at the Canadian Cemetery - 1966
• Closing of the Tennis Season in Saint Aubin sur Mer – Frying Pan Match – 1966
• From Worse to Worse  – 1969
• A Farmer at the Factory – 1972
• Christmas with Family  – 1974
• The Road Code Failures – 1978
• Witchcraft in Normandy – 1981
• Horse Breeder – 1981
• Ouistreham – 1984
• The Bombing of Évrecy – 1994
• Arromanche 360 – The 100 Days of Normandy
• Youtube Channel – PhotosNormandie, American Films (NARA) on the Battle of Normandy
• Youtube Channel - Dday-Overlord, commemorations, archival images, reports, visits…
• Youtube Channel – Willy Man

Old Images and Postcards

• On Gallica: the Calvados in Images
• On Clochers de France: the belfries of Calvados in Images
• On Memorial GenWeb: postcards of the War Memorials 
• On CPA Bastille 91 – Collections of Old Postcards from Calvados
• On CPArama – Old Postcards from Calvados
• On communes.com – Postcards of Caen

Old Maps of the Department

• From Cassini villages to today's communes: the department of Calvados
• On Old Maps Online: old maps of the department
• On Gallica: old maps of the Calvados

📖 The History of Calvados

• History of the Calvados department
• Memoir on the transport lands of Calvados - 1827
• Catalogue of the arts products of the Calvados department - 1834
• Directory of the Calvados department for the year 1836
• Review of Calvados – 1840
• Monumental statistics of Calvados – 1846
• Biographical, literary and critical notices on men of Calvados who distinguished themselves by their actions or works- 1848
• The commanderies of the Templars of the Calvados department – 1869
• Historical accounts of the mobile guard of Calvados (15^thregiment)- 1872
• Geography of the Calvados department – 1874
• The textile regions of Calvados – 1956
• Primary education in Calvados during the revolution - 1957
• The electoral body of Calvados (1820-1847) - 1960
• Calvados from 1898 to 1914, political and socio-economic glimpses - 1970
• The peasants of Calvados in the 19th century – 1971
• The cemeteries of Calvados in 1804 – 1976
• The Protestants and the Revolution, the example of Calvados - 1977
• Economy, society and politics: Calvados in 1877 – 1984
• Seaside tourism and telephone in Calvados (1880-1914) - 1985
• The centenary of the revolution in Calvados – 1990
• Jews and Freemasons in Calvados: 1940-1944 – 1991
• The industrialists of Calvados and steam. 1749-1865 – 1993
• The beginnings of cinema in Calvados (1895-1914) – 1993
• The powers at liberation in the Calvados department - 1994
• Collective sports in Calvados 1940-1944 – 1995
• The working world in Calvados- 1789-1919 - 1998
• Revolt in Caen 1812 – 2001
• Denunciation under Occupation in Calvados – 2004
• Voluntary workers, the example of Calvados 1940-1945 - 2004
• Rural butchery in Normandy in the 18th century – 2008
• Saints and touchers in popular Norman medicine - 2012
• The municipality of Caen and Spanish prisoners of war during the Thirty Years' War (1639-1648) – 2015

On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the Calvados department

💬 The 50 most common surnames in Calvados

Top 10 surnames in Calvados: 

• MARIE
• JEANNE
• MARTIN
• DUVAL
• LEFEVRE
• LEROY
• ANNE
• HEBERT
• LELIEVRE
• GUERIN

The other 40 most popular surnames in the department (according to the INSEE records) 

• CATHERINE
• MARIDOR
• MICHEL
• DELAUNAY
• LETELLIER
• HUET
• LANGLOIS
• MOREL
• DURAND
• LEFRANCOIS
• HUE
• LEMONNIER
• GAUTIER
• LEGRAND
• MORIN
• BISSON
• SIMON
• DUPONT
• HAMEL
• MADELAINE
• JEAN
• LECONTE
• LEMARCHAND
• GOSSELIN
• FONTAINE
• JAMES
• LECLERC
• RICHARD
• FRANCOISE
• AUVRAY
• THOMAS
• ROGER
• DUBOIS
• AUBERT
• LAURENT
• DAVID
• DENIS
• LEROUX
• LECOQ
• LEMOINE

🖥 Genealogy sites in Calvados

Genealogy circles and associations in or around Calvados

• Calvados Genealogy Circle
• Racines Association
• Virois Bocage Genealogical Association
• Norman Genealogy Parisian Association
• Brittany Maine Normandy Genealogical Help

Genealogy blogs about Calvados

• Marielle and Genealogy
• Time is Involved
• Heaven my Ancestors

Social media accounts to follow

• Facebook: Calvados Genealogical Circle – Calvados Archives – Calvados 14 Genealogy

Good research! 

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