French Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The French Family

7,663 French records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

7,663Records in our database

1808Earliest birth

2Documented families

3Biographies

See the French family trees →508 French families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

7,663 French records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (1,607 of 7,663)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Augustus C. French, born 1808, Illinois

Most common first names

Robert189 William182 John176 Mary161 James147 Charles146 George115 Ruth86 Helen71 Richard69 Harold66 Donald65

Documented families

French families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The French family of Berrien CountyMichiganStarts: Samuel French and Sarah (Bliss) French (b. 1818)Most recent: Charles H. French (b. 1851)

Family records from county histories (1)

James FrenchKeokuk County, IowaStarts: James French, from South CarolinaMost recent: Mrs. William Bond

The earliest Frenchs in the county histories

Samuel Davison FrenchBorn 1823, Trumbull CountyChild of William French and Elizabeth (Davison) FrenchAllen County, Ohio E. H. FrenchBorn 1825, Belmont CountyChild of William French and Mary (Bunda) FrenchSt. Clair County, Missouri John W. FrenchBorn 1832, Columbiana countyCrawford County, Ohio Edward Pinkney FrenchBorn 1833Audrain County, Missouri John R. FrenchBorn 1835Child of Thomas French and Mary (Reynolds) FrenchMcleod County, Minnesota John M. FrenchBorn 1837Champaign County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

508 French families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

30 French death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

40 French people in 30 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (3)

John W. FrenchBorn 1832 · Crawford County, Ohio Joseph W. FrenchBorn 1833 · Berrien County, Michigan James Edgar FrenchBorn 1838 · Berrien County, Michigan

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented French family

Found your French? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

French genealogy: FAQ

Where were French ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 7,663 French records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (1,607), then Ohio (1,219) and Michigan (997).

How far back does the French family tree go?

The earliest French birth in our database is 1808: Augustus C. French, Illinois. We have pieced together 508 French family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living French family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my French family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.