Genealogy in the Sarthe (72): Your Ancestors in the Archives
Genealogy Cheat Sheet - Some research tips to find your origins in the Sarthe: archives, records, old maps and more…
©️Wikimedia - Claude Villetaneuse
Updated: January 9, 2025
Sarthe is a French department located in the Pays de la Loire region. Created in 1790 during the French Revolution, the department essentially corresponds to High Maine, with the southwest part historically belonging to High Anjou.
The Sarthe department is surrounded by the Loire Valley, the Armorican Massif, and the Paris Basin. It is bordered by the departments of the Sarthe , the Maine-et-Loire, the Mayenne, the Indre-et-Loire, the Eure-et-Loire, the Loir-et-Cher and the Orne
📄 Archives in Sarthe
The departmental archives of Sarthe
Visit the departmental archives of Sarthe:
📍 9 rue Christian Pineau, 72100 Le Mans
Contact the departmental archives of Sarthe:
📞 02 43 54 74 74
📧 Contact the AD of Sarthe
Digitized archives at the Departmental Archives of Sarthe
Browse the digitized collections of the AD of Sarthe to find your ancestors:
Online records
Unusual records
- Plague, dysentery epidemics, construction of the Great Bridge of Bessé, contagions and much more on J. Marchal's site.
- Many unusual acts on Geneactinsolites. [tip: quick search – CTRL + F and enter “72”, allows you to find the unusual acts of Sarthe].
🏃 Migrations in Sarthe
Sarthe, a department located in the Pays de la Loire region, has experienced various migratory movements over the centuries that have influenced its demography and development.
- Gallo-Roman period : before Roman domination, the territory of present-day Sarthe was occupied by the Aulerci Cenomanni. With the arrival of the Romans, cultural exchanges and population movements occurred, gradually integrating the region into the Roman Empire.
- Middle Ages : during the Middle Ages, Sarthe was marked by invasions and migrations, particularly during the Viking incursions in the 9th and 10th centuries. These movements led to territorial reorganizations and local population displacements.
- Modern period : in the 17th and 18th centuries, Sarthe experienced mortality crises, particularly between 1705 and 1715, and during the excess mortality periods of 1739-1742 and 1745-1753, affecting the region's population.
Since its creation in the 18th century, the department of Sarthe has developed thanks to agriculture as well as the textile, metallurgy, tanning, glassmaking, cooperage, marble (Sablé) and candle (Le Mans) industries. With the arrival of the railway, the cities of Le Mans, of Mamers, of Sablé-sur-Sarthe, of Saint-Calais, and of La Flèche experienced rapid expansion.
- French Revolution and 19th century : the French Revolution brought population movements, with popular uprisings mobilizing large groups of inhabitants, such as the one in November 1792.
In the 19th century, Sarthe was affected by rural exodus, with a decrease in its population due to many inhabitants moving to urban or industrial areas.
- 20th century : at the beginning of the 20th century, Sarthe welcomed foreigners, particularly of German nationality, present in the department until 1870. However, the region generally had a low presence of immigrants, representing less than 2% of its population in 1999.
The department's industries were slowed down during World War I. It was only during the interwar period that the automotive industry, with the arrival of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Renault factory, was established in Le Mans.
After World War II, foreign workers from Algeria, Morocco, or Tunisia, as well as Portuguese, came to work in construction or for the SNCF railways. The Renault factory, for its part, mainly employed local Sarthois workers-farmers.
For more information:
🏁 The Sarthe in images
Videos
Old images and postcards
Old maps of the department
- From Cassini's villages to today's communes: the department of the Sarthe
- On Old Maps Online: the old maps of the department
- On Gallica: the old maps of the Sarthe
📖 The History of Sarthe
On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the Sarthe Department
🗺️ Genealogy Sites in Sarthe
Genealogy Circles and Associations in Sarthe or Nearby
Genealogy Blogs About Sarthe
Happy researching!
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