Genealogical research in Brittany

The genealogical research in Brittany presents the following characteristics:

Specificities of administrative cuttings in Brittany

Frequency of the acts

The reformation of the Royal Field

In 1660 Colbert the reformation of the royal field to Brittany launches: it is a question of checking the whole of the declarations of property (the consents of the subjects of the king, since the peasant raising directly of the royal Domaine (rare) to the most powerful lords. The police chiefs of the Court of Auditors of Brittany (seat in Nantes), charged to defend the interests of the Royal Field, will check the contents of the provided consents, by bringing it closer to the similar acts produced before: validity of the document of title, assembling chefrente (in kind and/or money) annually versed with the king, right attaches with the property (justice,…), etc

It is the first reformation of the field of the king in Brittany since the annexation of Brittany, 2 centuries earlier.

Various adventures (started difficult of the process, revolts Red Bonnets, tuggings between the central capacity and the Parliament of Brittany) will delay this census: the first acts of the reformation to the Country of Bannalec (and in the remainder of Brittany) are gone back to 1678 (date appearing in several of the quoted consents) and that Ci is completely completed in 1684.

The acts of the reformation of the royal Field, preserved well, provide the genealogist quasi registers nearly one century and half before the Napoléonien land register.

Basic acts justice

The Habit of Brittany makes obligation to establish a public act in the event of death of the legal guardian of any minor (less than 25 years in Brittany): according to the case there is inventory after death, designation of a supervision,… Low longevity and an obviously strict application of the law leads to a great abundance of acts of this type.

Acts associated with the congéable field

Notarial acts

Civil statue

Places of conservation of the documents

The Departmental records of Unpleasant Island and (Rennes) and of Loire-Atlantique (Nantes), old capitals of Brittany, preserve some documents within the competence of the AD of the other departments. The Public records preserve also certain interesting documents the Breton departments

Departmental records of the Atlantic Loire

Roles of tax for all Brittany (partial)
Acts of the Royal Reformation of the Field (partial)

Departmental records of the Atlantic Loire

Public records

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