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Can't find a record? Follow our step-by-step method to find it using the right tools and sources in genealogy.
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Are you desperately searching for a birth, marriage, or death record, but all your research seems to lead to a dead end? Don't panic: in any genealogical investigation, it's common to come across a missing record. Whether it's a transcription error, a poorly indexed document, or a change in municipality, the reasons are numerous... but solutions exist.
In this article, we offer you a method in 8 steps to find a missing record. A real investigation to be conducted with rigor, method... and the right tools. Geneafinder accompanies you at every step with features designed for genealogy enthusiasts.
Always start with the decennial tables of the municipality where you assume the record was registered. They allow for quick identification over a 10-year period. Check multiple spellings of the name, first names, and don’t neglect any line.
If the record appears in the decennial table, you can then consult the corresponding register (births, marriages, or deaths). The record may be poorly written, torn, or poorly scanned. A careful reading is essential.
In case of absence in the expected municipality, turn to the neighboring municipalities. A birth at grandparents' home, a wedding in the wife's parish, or a death in a nearby canton's hospital are common cases.
When the period is unclear, Geneafinder's missing date estimator helps you narrow down a probable range. Thanks to other dates (children's births, spouse's death...), you can refine your search.
Our search engine allows you to consult multiple genealogical and historical databases simultaneously. A considerable time savings to track down a record.
Don’t hesitate to expand your research to other types of archives: censuses, military records, notaries, electoral lists, successions… These documents can provide valuable clues about the location or date of a record.
When a person disappears from the radar, follow the trail of their relatives : parents, siblings, children. A child's marriage can indicate a parent's death, a family census can reveal a missing birthplace. The ancestor you're tracking may have also been a witness to a life event of a cousin, for example.
The genealogy community is one of the most active and supportive. On Facebook, many exchange groups will allow you to ask for help to find a record. You can also call on the volunteers of the Fil d'Ariane who will visit the departmental Archives centers for you.
A missing record is not a dead end, but a puzzle to solve. By multiplying the angles of approach and using appropriate tools like those offered by Geneafinder, you significantly increase your chances of success. Ready to solve your genealogy mystery?
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