Genealogy in Nièvre (58): trace your family tree
Genealogy cheat sheet - Everything is here! Browse archives, online records, videos and images, stories and genealogy sites in Nièvre
©️Cartes postales de mes tiroirs
updated: October 3, 2024
Nièvre is located at the heart of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
Created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790, the Nièvre department was established on the former province of Nivernais. It gets its name from the river that flows through it before joining the Loire. Its history extends far beyond this date with traces of human occupation dating back to prehistoric times and a significant Gallo-Roman presence.
It is bordered by the departments of the Yonne, of the Côte-d'Or, of the Saône-et-Loire, of theAllier, of the Cher and of the Loiret.
From a genealogical perspective, Nièvre presents several specificities:
- A strong rural and agricultural tradition, with many peasant families whose history can be traced back over several generations.
- A rich industrial heritage, particularly related to metallurgy and forges, which influenced population movements and family structures.
- The importance of the river Loire and its tributaries in the department's history and economy, shaping lifestyles and professions.
- The presence of ancient Jewish communities, particularly in Clamecy, offering specific research leads for certain lineages.
📜 The archives of Nièvre
The departmental archives of Nièvre
Visit the departmental archives of Nièvre:
📞 1 rue Charles-Roy, 58000 Nevers
Contact the departmental archives of Nièvre:
📧 03 86 60 68 30
📧 Contact form
Browse the website of the departmental archives of Nièvre and the available records:
Online records
Unusual records
🏠 Migrations in Nièvre
- Antiquity and Middle Ages: The Eduens, a Gallic people, settle before the Romanization of the region. In the 5th-6th centuries, the region experiences population movements linked to barbarian invasions. Additionally, monastic communities attract populations.
- 16th-17th centuries: Protestantism develops in a limited way in the department. The region experiences internal migrations linked to the development of forges and metallurgy. From the beginning of the 16th century, Italians develop pottery in Nevers.
- 19th century: in terms of foreign presence, the Burgundy region is an average region. The Nièvre department is in the last position with 600 foreigners in 1896. At the time, the majority of industries (glassworks, coal, steel) employ French workers and not foreigners. Only a few Polish political refugees from Warsaw and the north of the country arrive in Nièvre and are settled in Clamecy, Varzy or Cosne.
- 20th century: La Machine, a popular commune for its coal mines, is a true welcoming land for foreigners seeking work during the interwar period. Poles, Russians, Maghrebis or Chinese, many of them are hired in the coal mines of La Machine. The communes of Fourchambault and Imphy also attract some foreign workers in the metallurgy sector. Finally, in the Morvan, many Spaniards come to join the ranks of the workers of Nièvre. They work mainly as loggers, in steelworks or glassworks.
For more information:
History and memory of foreigners in Burgundy in the 19th and 20th centuries
History and memory of immigration in the Burgundy region
Immigration from 1800 to 1975 – GenWiki 58
🌳 Nièvre in pictures
Videos
Old images and postcards
Old maps of the department
- From Cassini's villages to today's communes: the department of the Nièvre
- On Old Maps Online: old maps of the department
- On Gallica: old maps of the Nièvre
📄 The history of Nièvre
On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the Nièvre department
🗺️ Genealogy sites in Nièvre
Genealogy circles and associations in Nièvre or nearby
Genealogy blogs that talk about Nièvre
Accounts to follow on social networks
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