Statistics and Censuses, Valuable Tools for Genealogy

Statistically speaking, statistics are also useful in genealogy!

You might not realize it, but statistics play an important role in genealogy and can be very useful, for example, for comparing with today's France. These statistics are mostly produced by INSEE, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.

The Census, a Valuable Tool

The population census was established in 1836 and contains a lot of information: Name, profession, place of birth, family situation...

If you don’t have the place of birth of your ancestor, you will find this information here and can use it to search for their birth certificate. This also allows you to know the size of the household and their living conditions. In terms of pure statistics, the census figures highlight migrations between departments or regions linked to their economic attractiveness at different times. If you’ve lost track of one of your ancestors, it might be wise to use these statistics.

Moreover, statistics related to living standards, household size, etc., allow you to compare the situation of your ancestors to that of French households at that time. A good way to see beyond names and other birth and death dates to truly get to know your ancestors!

Patronymic Statistics, Not to Be Overlooked

INSEE also has another statistic, the patronymic file. This study shows the number and distribution of surnames and first names in France. This is not trivial when you know that surnames reflect the history of men (see our article N like Surname!) as well as the importance and direction of migrations. The results of these various statistics on surnames highlight the richness and diversity of France, be it through the different regional languages or through the many generations of migrants. Thanks to these statistics, it is possible to draw a map of surnames, where you can see in which region their presence is strongest. In the context of genealogical research, this can be very interesting and allow you to explore new family leads. Moreover, for a person with a foreign-sounding name, these statistics can highlight a period when their name appeared in France and guide them in their research.

That’s why, even if statistics may seem quite abstract in genealogy and of less importance, they can nonetheless highlight data, particularly on living conditions at a specific time, that help us better understand the France of our ancestors.