Genealogy in Loire-Atlantique (44): Archives for your ancestors
Genealogy checklist - Tips to trace your ancestors in Loire-Atlantique: archives, records, stories, migrations, and more...
©️Wikimedia - Claude Villetaneuse
Updated: November 14, 2024
Loire-Atlantique is a French department located in the heart of the Pays de la Loire. Formerly known as Loire-Inférieure until 1957, this coastal region is rich in history, which is reflected in the archives.
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and crossed by the Loire, the Loire-Atlantique department has been shaped by its maritime and commercial past. Created in 1790 during the French Revolution, it draws its roots from the former province of Brittany. It is bordering the departments of the Morbihan, the Ille-et-Vilaine, the Maine-et-Loire and the Vendée.
The departmental archives of Loire-Atlantique offer a wealth of resources, including maritime registration - testament to the historical importance of the ports of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire.
📄 Archives of Loire-Atlantique
Tracing your ancestors at the heart of the departmental archives of Loire-Atlantique
Visiting the Departmental Archives of Loire-Atlantique:
📍 6 rue de Bouillé, 44035 Nantes
Contacting the Departmental Archives of Loire-Atlantique
📞 02 51 72 93 20
📧 Contact departmental archives
The departmental archives of Loire-Atlantique offer many digitized resources available online:
Archives of Nantes - digitized holdings
The archives of Nantes publish their digitized holdings to facilitate consultation and dissemination of documents:
Online records
Unusual records
Migrations in Loire-Atlantique
Migrations and population movements in Loire-Atlantique (formerly Lower Loire) have played a crucial role in the history and development of the department.
- 15th-17th centuries: In the 15th century, the Nantes region welcomed Spanish and Portuguese Jews fleeing the Inquisition. This migration marked the beginning of a long history of welcoming diverse populations in the region.
After the signing of the Edict of Nantes in 1598, many Dutch Protestants settled in the Nantes region, bringing their skills and techniques. However, the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 caused a reverse movement, pushing many Protestants into exile.
- 18th century: During the 18th century, the city of Nantes benefited from rural migrations from surrounding departments. Many responded to the attractiveness of numerous construction sites, vineyard cultivation, salt marsh activities, and the herring industry. The Indret plant (manufacturer of cannons under the direction of the Englishman William Wilkinson) recorded a high rate of foreign workers. At the same time, the ports of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire turned to the trade of colonial products and affirmed their position as gateways to the Overseas.
- 19th century: The first foreign workers arrived in the department, mostly working in industry. They came from England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Poland. Before benefiting from foreign labor, the Nantes industry long drew its workers from Breton peasantry.
- 20th century: during the 20th century and at the pace of the two world wars, the Spanish became the first foreign community in the department. There were also many Portuguese, North Africans, and Indochinese from the Empire. The department also called on French colonies to make up for the lack of soldiers and workers. Small towns also saw an influx of foreign workers, such as in Couëron with the arrival of Polish immigrants or in Châteaubriant with the arrival of Portuguese and Turks in the 1960-70s. After 1974 and the end of labor immigration, immigration developed and diversified with immigrants from Southeast Asia.
For more information:
🌞 Loire-Atlantique in pictures
Videos
Old images and postcards
Old maps of the department
📄 The history of Loire-Atlantique
On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the department of Loire-Atlantique
🗺️ Genealogy sites in Loire-Atlantique
Genealogy circles and associations in Loire-Atlantique or nearby
Genealogy blogs that talk about Loire-Atlantique
Accounts to follow on social media
Happy researching!
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