Genealogy in Hérault (34): Your Ancestors in the Archives
Genealogy Cheat Sheet - The Complete Guide to Useful Resources for Genealogy in Hérault, Finding Your Roots, and Tracing Your Lineage
©️Wikimedia
updated: February 25, 2025
The Hérault department, located in the Occitanie region in the south of France, was created in 1790 during the French Revolution. Its territory of over 6000 km2 takes its name from the Hérault river that flows through it from north to south.
It is bordered by the departments of Aude, Tarn, Aveyron, and Gard. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the south. This strategic position has deeply influenced its history and demography.
The department features varied geography, ranging from the southern foothills of the Massif Central to the Mediterranean Sea, passing through the garrigue areas and the low plains of the Languedoc wine region.
The history of Hérault goes back to prehistory, as evidenced by the many caves, menhirs, and dolmens.
📜 The Archives of Hérault
The Departmental Archives of Hérault
Visit the Departmental Archives of Hérault:
📍 907 rue du Professeur Blayac, 34080 Montpellier
Contact the Departmental Archives of Hérault :
📞 04 67 67 37 00
📧 Contact Form
Visit the website of the Departmental Archives of Hérault :
🔗 Link to the Archives Website
Browse the digitized records to find your ancestors in the department:
Online Records
Unusual Records
🗺 Migrations in Hérault
Brief historical overview of the department :
- Six centuries before our era: founding of Béziers by the Iberians
- Establishment of Phoenician trading posts on the coast, notably at Maguelone and Brescou
- Creation of cities like Lodève, Lattes and Narbonne through invasions
- Integration into the Roman province of Narbonensis
- Incorporation into the Visigoth and then Frankish kingdoms
- Medieval period marked by the development of cities and abbeys
- Integration into the Languedoc province until the French Revolution
- 19th century: in the second half of the 19th century, Hérault saw significant Italian immigration, particularly in cities like Sète. In 1873, there was a significant arrival of Italians from Gaeta and Mezzogiorno in Sète.
Spanish presence began to assert itself, representing 57.2% of foreigners in Languedoc-Roussillon in 1851.
By the end of the 19th century, the department of the Hérault experienced a severe wine crisis. The industry collapsed due to diseases affecting the vines (oidium and phylloxera). While millions of modest winemakers revolted and were harshly repressed by the Clemenceau government, many foreigners (mostly Italians) tried to renew vine cultivation.
At this same time, many Hérault emigrants left. They primarily left agricultural, viticultural activities, and city industries to move to surrounding departments or even to Paris, the capital, which welcomed nearly 20% of Hérault emigrants at the beginning of the 20th century.
- Early 20th century: Italian immigration continued, particularly in the 1920s, with a significant influx in the Lauragais, encouraged by local authorities to address demographic deficits in agricultural areas.
Seasonal migrations transformed into permanent settlements, with workers from Ardèche, Haute-Loire, Tarn, Aveyron, and Lozère moving to industrial urban centers.
- Mid-20th century: the decolonization period saw a massive arrival of Pieds-Noirs, particularly in Montpellier and Perpignan, giving an economic and demographic boost to these cities.
In addition to the already present Italians, many Spaniards arrived in the department to work in viticulture and agriculture. Britons, Swiss, Germans, Belgians, Austrians, and Russians were also present. In 1939, nearly 30,000 Spaniards found refuge in the department, in the camp of Agde.
From the second half of the 20th century, calls for foreign labor intensified. The department saw the arrival of a new population, primarily of Iberian origin, with Algerians and Moroccans. They settled in Montpellier (in the Zup of la Paillade and the Petit-Bard-Pergola), in Sète or in Lunel.
For more information:
🌾 Hérault in images
Videos
Old images and postcards
Old maps of the department
- From Cassini villages to today's communes: the department of the Hérault
- On Old Maps Online: old maps of the department
- On Gallica: old maps of the Hérault
📆 The history of Hérault
On Gallica: the books, the press and the manuscripts to learn everything about the department of Hérault
🖥️ Genealogy sites in Hérault
Genealogy circles and associations in Hérault
Useful links on Facebook
Happy researching !
👍🏻 Your ancestors are waiting for you on Geneafinder, start or import your genealogy tree now
🌳 Quick and free registration - learn more
