France: (non royal) Noble Houses
 

I was posting a link on the Dampierre family (related to the Spanish Borbons) only to realize it was difficult to fit it since it was a family related to the French aristocracy and royalty and the Spanish aristocracy and royalty.
I'll open a thread to fit in those many other genealogy links for the aristocratic Houses of France that are a little more separated from the main royal branches.

House Dampierre Genealogical links (in French)

Maison Dampierre

As a note aside: the last Point De Vue I bought has a great article on the other families that have the title of Duke in Royal, Imperial and Republican France. I was surprised that the last title was given during the times of the current republic.

This one is another famous family: The Rothschilds and a great three page family tree

About Nobility and Titles in France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_nobility
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:French_nobility
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/noblesse.htm
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/frprince.htm Title of Prince and a list of French Princes and Principalities
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/napoleon.htm Napoleonic Titles

- d'Audiffret-Pasquier
http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/audiffret.html
http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...-+pasquier&t=N

- de Bauffremont http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...de+bauffremont
de Bauffremont - Courtenay http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...+courtenay&t=N

- de Riquet de Caraman-Chimay http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...caraman+chimay

- Durfort
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durfort_%28family%29
http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/durfort.html

- d'Harcourt http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...27harcourt&t=N
http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/harcourt.html

And easier way I think, but not always:
- Chevalier http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...=S;t=Chevalier
- Comte http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=en;m=TT;sm=S;t=Comte
- Comtesse http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...m=S;t=Comtesse
- Seigneur http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=e...m=S;t=Seigneur

Thanks Magnik! That is one of the most organized name list to the noble families of France. I remember reading in one other thread (the one I posted about noble titles in Poland, I think) that France's nobility really got complicated because so many records were destroyed during the revolution. Some families claimed titles they never had. I'm not sure if there is any organization that keeps the record keeping 100% accurate. In Spain the law is very strict about the use of titles to prevent fraud.

To registrer your title on your identity, you have to prove you are really noble. And to become a member of the Association de la Noblesse Française (French Nobility Association), you have to show documents to prove you are entitled to say yourself noble.
The other problem is the courtesy titles: nobles members of a counts family who call themselves nobles although they are the current count.

http://www.pointdevue.fr/contenu/fr/default.php?rb=2

a link to the magazine's official site (in french) about that issue.

Thanks! :smile:
Over the weeks I'll help track down genealogical trees one by one according to the magazine's article on the titled Dukes in France.

Nobility is a very messy situation in France. There is no clear law on it nor an official body. Nobility isn't recognized in France, but it can be defended in court. It is quite complex. Most noble families don't even get it added to their birth certificates (has to be added for every newborn which as you can see is quite a hassle). The majority of legitimate nobles are not registered with any private body such as the French Nobility Association Danielane mentions. Probably the only way you would see French nobility today on a large scale is coat of arms registered with the different heraldic authorities in France.

True there is no 100% accurate record in France. It basically works in legal purposes that if there is an issue with more than one person claiming the same title, the French courts will look at the evidence and determine who is the rightful heir. Many families when it comes to legal documents, the only thing registered is a coat of arms.

Not sure I'm supposed to post it here, but since the "de Croÿ family is french nobility..."
The de Croÿ were invited at the wedding of Christoph and Adelaïde of Habsburg. So I was wondering, are they related? (Luxemburg or Habsburg?)

Thank you a lot! :flowers:

The de Croy family is very closely related to various Austrian, German, Belgian and French royal and noble families, including Hapsburgs.

For instance, the mother of the Dowager Duchess of Croy (Princess Gabrielle, wife of the 14th Duke) is none other than Princess Antonia of Luxembourg, daughter of William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Their other close relations by blood include the Habsburgs (Isabella de Croy married the Duke of Teschen), the House of Parma, the House of Salm-Salm, de Ligne, and others.

It is interesting that male-line origin of the House of Croy are from Hungary...

Their first known ancestor was one Marcus who was said to be a grandson of King Bela II of Hungary (c1110-1141),who married Catherine de Croy and adopted her family name for him and his descendants...