31 December 2020

MyHeritage Adds France, Nord Department Civil Births and Deaths

While I wouldn't normally cover French resources, those for Department Nord, just across the English Channel, including Dunkirk, may be of interest for strays. MyHeritage made the data available on 29 December.

The births, from 1820-1915, include 3,086 Smiths.

The deaths, from 1820-1935, include 2,959 Smiths.

Civil vital records were collected by government authorities in France starting in 1792. 

Interested in the trend of deaths during the First World War which was waged in and around the Department? Were more civil deaths recorded, or did the administrative system break down?


For the first 25 years of the 20th century, there is a marked decrease in deaths reported. The first two years of the war had large increases in reported deaths, as did 1918 which was influenza pandemic year.

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