Professional French Genealogist, Remote Research

01

The approach

"Prosapia", in Latin, means lineage — the descent that is passed down. That is what I aim to deliver: not just a family tree, but the documented substance of your origins.

Every piece of research systematically cross-references civil records with military and notarial archives, when they exist, to go beyond simple birth, marriage and death dates.

The result is not an administrative report: it is a written document that places each generation in its historical context — where they lived, what they did for a living, the events they lived through — with every source attached and verifiable.

02

Working method

01

Scoping the request

Analysis of the starting information (names, places, dates, documents you already have) and an estimate of what is realistically achievable.

02

Quote and timeline

A fixed price and an indicative timeline are provided before any commitment, with a 30–50% deposit to begin.

03

Archival research

Consultation of civil registers, military service records and notarial deeds, both online and through French departmental archive services.

04

Cross-checking and verification

Every piece of information is checked against at least one additional source before being accepted, to rule out mistaken identity and uncertainty.

05

Writing and delivery

A documented narrative, a family tree, and copies of the records found, delivered in digital form.

03

Research scope & sources

Research is conducted across the whole of France, online and in departmental archive reading rooms when necessary.

Civil records

Births, marriages, deaths — parish registers before 1792, French republican civil records from then on.

Military archives

Service records, recruitment registers — physical description, postings, campaigns.

Notarial deeds

Marriage contracts, inheritance settlements, sales — often the only trace of family assets and relationships.

04

About me

My name is Mathieu, based in France. Genealogy isn't my original profession — it's a practice I built on my own, out of curiosity about my own origins, then took seriously over many months of personal research.

That work took me back to ancestors dating to the year 990, systematically cross-referencing civil records, military archives and notarial deeds.

I conduct every piece of research myself, with the same rigour I applied to my own family history: no information is put forward without being cross-checked, and nothing is billed beyond what the archives can actually establish.

A personal note

The patience of a researcher, the rigour of someone who cross-checks every source, and the care taken to deliver a story that reads well — not just a tree filed away in a drawer.

05

Sample writeup

Excerpt — "Ancestor Portrait" package

"In 1889, when the record shows his birth in Saint-Bonnet, the village has fewer than three hundred souls. His father is a weaver; his mother dies before he turns ten, a winter the parish records call especially harsh. At eighteen, a military service record describes him: average height, chestnut hair, assigned to an infantry regiment."

— Fragment reconstructed from a birth record, a military service record and a notarial inheritance deed.

See more excerpts and a full research case study →

06

Fees

The cost of hiring a genealogist depends on the depth of research required. Three fixed-price packages, transparent from the start. Beyond the In-Depth package, research continues at an hourly rate, with a check-in point agreed in advance.

Package

Includes

Fee

Timeline

PACKAGE 1

Discovery

3 generations (up to 14 people)
Civil records transcribed
Online, shareable family tree

€60–80

1–2 wks

PACKAGE 2

In-Depth

5 generations
Military & notarial archives
10–15 page narrative booklet

€180–220

3–4 wks

PACKAGE 3

Ancestor Portrait

One person, in depth
Life story reconstructed
8–10 page mini biography

€90–120

2 wks

CUSTOM

Beyond 5 generations

Generations 6–7: +€40/generation
Generation 8 and beyond: +€60/generation
Or hourly rate, with agreed check-ins

On quote

Variable

07

My commitments

Best-effort commitment: rigorous research is conducted, with no guaranteed outcome on branches where archives are missing.
Transparency on dead ends: any obstacle (a lost record, an unresolved case of mistaken identity) is explained clearly, never hidden.
Timeline respected: and you're notified as soon as any delay is identified, with an explanation.
Sources always included: every statement in the final narrative is linked to the record that proves it.
Confidentiality: family information gathered is never shared or reused without your consent.
Clear quote before starting: no research begins without prior agreement on scope and price.

08

Frequently asked questions

What happens if a generation can't be found?

I commit to rigorous research, not a guaranteed result — some records are lost, illegible, or a case of mistaken identity may remain impossible to resolve. In that case, I hand over everything that was found, with a clear explanation of the obstacle encountered.

Is the stated timeline really respected?

Yes — this is standard practice among professional genealogists: a timeline is set after an initial exchange, and you're notified as soon as possible if a branch needs more time than expected.

Can I ask for more generations than the package includes?

Yes. Beyond the In-Depth package, research continues at an hourly rate, with a check-in point agreed in advance before proceeding.

How does payment work?

A deposit of 30–50% is requested at order to begin the research, with the balance due upon delivery of the complete file.

Contact

A branch to clear up, a name to bring back to life?

Write to me with what you already know, or call directly — even three names and a town are enough to start looking.

Go to contact page

Finding those who came before you