Genealogy in the Vienne (86): the guide to find your ancestors
Genealogy cheat sheet - All resources to trace your lineage: archives, records, books, migrations, stories and more…
©️Wikimedia - Claude Villetaneuse
updated: February 24, 2025
The Vienne department, located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, was created on March 4, 1790. It gets its name from the Vienne river that flows through it. It is composed of part of the former province of Poitou, Anjou (and Touraine and Marche). Its prefecture is Poitiers, a city with a remarkable past.
It is bordering the departments of the Deux-Sèvres, of the Charente, of the Haute-Vienne, of the Maine-et-Loire, of the 'Indre-et-Loire and of the 'Indre.
The Vienne occupies a strategic position between the Massif Central and the Armorican Massif, in an area called the "Poitou threshold", serving as a natural passage between the north and south of France. This geographical situation has favored ancient human occupation.
📜 The archives of Vienne
The departmental archives of Vienne
Visiting the Departmental Archives of Vienne:
📍 30 rue des Champs Balais, 86000 Poitiers
Contact the Departmental Archives of Vienne:
📞 05 49 03 04 05
📧 Contact form
Consult the website of the Departmental Archives of Vienne:
🔗 Link to the AD website
A specific feature of the department: since the Departmental Archives of Deux-Sèvres and Vienne have shared a common history for a long time, the two services cooperate and use the same tools to describe their holdings and make them available for online consultation. There is only one website for the Departmental Archives of Deux-Sèvres and Vienne.
Consult this site to search for your ancestors in the department of Vienne:
Online records
Unusual records
🏳 Migrations in Vienne
- Medieval period (5th-15th centuries): during this long period, several migratory movements shaped the population of present-day Vienne:
- Visigothic and then Frankish invasions (5th-6th centuries): these Germanic populations gradually settled in the region, blending with the Gallo-Roman populations.
- English presence (12th-15th centuries): during the period when Poitou was under English rule, population movements took place between England and the region.
- Modern period (16th-18th centuries) : this period is marked by significant religious movements:
- Development of Protestantism (16th century): Poitou becomes an important center of the Reformation, with notable Protestant communities in Poitiers, Châtellerault, and Loudun.
- Protestant emigration (after 1685) : following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, many Protestant families left the region for the Netherlands, England, Prussia, or North America.
- 19th century : this period sees the acceleration of population movements:
- Internal rural exodus: with movements from the countryside to the urban centers of the department (Poitiers, Châtellerault, Montmorillon).
- Emigration to Paris : many Poitevins left to work in the capital, particularly in domestic service or craftsmanship.
- Industrialization of Châtellerault : the establishment of the Arms Factory in 1819 attracted workers from different regions of France, creating a notable diversification of surnames in this city.
- 20th century: world conflicts and economic changes greatly influenced migrations:
- Arrival of the first foreigners: at the beginning of the 20th century, these were mostly men, Spaniards, Swiss or Italians who arrived in Poitiers to then work in rural communes in agricultural jobs.
- World War I: this was the return of many soldiers to their home communes, but also the settlement of war widows from other departments. This period was also a "pretext" to call for male immigration. Many Spaniards and Portuguese responded to this call. However, the immigration rate of the department was one of the lowest in the region, explained by the lack of welcome from local officials.
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939): Vienne hosted Spanish refugees fleeing the civil war - more than 1600 in 1937, 2386 in 1939. Poitiers became the main reception center, housing 1141 people on Rue Jean Macé.
- World War II : Vienne hosted over 60,000 Moselle refugees, in addition to many Spanish refugees interned at the camp on the road to Limoges in Poitiers. Other refugees arrived from Gironde, Seine-et-Oise, Charente-Maritime, and Nantes.
- End of the 20th century: Vienne experienced a strong acceleration of rural exodus to Poitiers and other major French cities. In terms of immigration, the department saw the arrival of Spaniards and Italians, fewer Czechs and Belgians, and very few Portuguese and Swiss. The department also set up a reception facility for Indochinese, Hungarians, and then Harkis at the Rye camp.
To learn more:
🏺 Vienne in images
Videos
Old images and postcards
Old maps of the department
- From Cassini villages to today's communes: the department of Vienne
- On Old Maps Online: old maps of the department
- On Gallica: old maps of the Vienne
📭 The history of Vienne
The books, the press and the manuscripts about the department of Vienne
🖥️ Genealogy sites in Vienne
Genealogy circles and associations in Vienne
Genealogy blogs in Vienne
On Facebook
Happy researching !
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