Genealogy in Ardèche (07): Find your ancestors in the archives

Genealogy cheat sheet - We guide you in researching your ancestry in Ardèche, in archives, old maps, books, videos, and images...

Genealogy in Ardèche (07): Find your ancestors in the archives

©️Wikimedia - François Bassaget

updated: February 24, 2025


The department of Ardèche, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, was created in 1790 - initially named "Department of the Sources of the Loire". It takes its name from the river that flows through it, the Ardèche. The territory that it comprises corresponds almost entirely to the former province of Vivarais.

It is bordered by the departments of the Drôme, the Vaucluse, the Gard, the Lozère, the Haute-Loire, the Loire and the Isère.


📚 The Archives of Ardèche


Departmental Archives in Ardèche


Go to the Departmental Archives:

📍 14 Place André Malraux, 07000 Privas


Contact the Departmental Archives:

📞  04 75 66 98 00

📧  Contact Page


Consult the Departmental Archives website:

🗃️ Link to the AD website


Consult the digitized records to find your Ardèche ancestors: 



Online Records


Unusual Records

  • A man knocked unconscious with large stones, wriggling severance, being a godfather at five years old, and many more on the J. Marchal's website.


Migrations in Ardèche


  • Origins: the first traces of human habitation in Ardèche date back to Prehistory, with sites like the Chauvet Cave, adorned with paintings over 30,000 years old.

    During Antiquity, the territory was inhabited by the Helviens, a Gaulish tribe, before being integrated into the Roman Empire.

    The Middle Ages saw the emergence of many lordships and the construction of fortresses, some of which still stand today.


  • 19th century: for the department of Ardèche, the 19th century was synonymous with development. The silk, paper, and mining industries, as well as agriculture, allowed the department to expand and reach its population peak (over 388,500 inhabitants) in 1861. However, Ardèche remained a rural department. The decline of its industries and agriculture (phylloxera crisis) led to a record migration, with more than a third of Ardéchois leaving in the mid-20th century.

    From the early 1900s, many Italians and Spaniards came to work in the department. The Ardéchois welcomed Armenians fleeing the genocide.


  • War and post-war: the interwar period was marked by migration to major French cities, where Ardéchois sought better economic opportunities.


For more information: 



🎞️ Ardèche in images

Videos



Images and old postcards



Old maps of the department

  • From Cassini villages to today's communes: the department of the Ardèche
  • On Old Maps Online: old maps of the department
  • On Gallica: old maps of the Ardèche


The History of Ardèche Told



On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the Department of Ardèche



🏠 The 50 most common surnames in Ardèche


Top 10 surnames in Ardèche: 

  • FAURE
  • REYNAUD
  • MOULIN
  • ROCHE
  • MARTIN
  • ROUX
  • MOUNIER
  • TEYSSIER
  • COSTE
  • BERNARD


The other 40 most popular surnames in the department (according to the INSEE file): 

  • BONNET
  • DURAND
  • BERTRAND
  • CHAMBON
  • ROBERT
  • ARNAUD
  • DUMAS
  • BLANC
  • LAURENT
  • VOLLE
  • VALETTE
  • ASTIER
  • CHAREYRE
  • CROUZET
  • MICHEL
  • BRUN
  • GAILLARD
  • VERNET
  • GIRAUD
  • FARGIER
  • VINCENT
  • BREYSSE
  • REY
  • SERRE
  • OLLIER
  • BOYER
  • PASCAL
  • COMBE
  • VIALLE
  • RIOU
  • COURTIAL
  • BRUNEL
  • FANGET
  • PERRIER
  • BOUCHET
  • CROS
  • JOUVE
  • LAFFONT
  • VALLON
  • COMTE


🗺️ Genealogy Sites in Ardèche


Genealogy Circles and Associations in Ardèche


Genealogy Blogs About Ardèche


Facebook Groups



Happy researching! 



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