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Documented Genealogies of PFO Families

For decades, Piedmont Families Organization member families have systematically analyzed the parish registers, the notary records, and the records for the exile period, as well as published family histories, to extend their pedigrees.

Many of those PFO ancestries are now available on this site and more will be added as they are received. These ancestries are in the form of GEDCOM files (GEDCOM stands for GEnealogical Data COMmunication—the way computers share genealogical information without it getting all mixed up).

Therefore, once you have identified a Waldensian ancestor who lived in the traditional Valleys but then left to settle somewhere else, you first want to determine if that ancestor is included in one of those already-researched genealogies.

Use the following process to guide your research:

STEP 1: 

Scan through the list of surnames for each of the GEDCOM files on this site. If the surname you seek appears on one of the lists, write down which GEDCOM it is on—because the surname you seek may well appear on more than one of them. Be sure to check all of the lists of surnames, writing down all the GEDCOMs that surname appears in.

If you have already found more than one Waldensian surname in your ancestry, check each of the lists for each of the surnames.

To go to the lists and GEDCOMs, Click HERE.

STEP 2:

If your ancestral Waldensian surname was not on any the surname lists for these GEDCOMs—

CLICK HERE for help in checking the Parish Registers for your ancestor (about 1670 to now).

CLICK HERE for help in using the Notary Records (from the late 1500s to the present).

STEP 3:

Make a download of the GEDCOM with your ancestral surname in it.  If you already have a genealogy file of your ancestors, you will not want to download this new GEDCOM into that file yet because you don’t know for certain that your ancestor is actually in that new file.

Decide what to call your new downloaded file, especially if the surname you seek appears in more than one of the GEDCOM lists. You don’t want the most recent downloaded file to delete the previous one.

For instance, if you are searching the surname Janavel, you might give this tentative download of the GEDCOM the name of Janavel-1.

You can download the GEDCOM as a text file or as a self-extracting executable file using the GenViewer software.

As a Text File

This method of download is simple but does not present the data in a user friendly way. To view the data, you must import it into a program designed to display GEDCOM files.

The way the GEDCOM file opens will depend on which browser you are using as well as your browser settings. It will usually open as a text file in a new window that you can then save to your PC. The file can be saved using the "Save Page As" feature in your web browser (Firefox: File/Save File As; Window Explorer: File/Save As; Chrome: Save Page As).

When you save the file, save it as "text" type but use the ".ged" suffix on the file name rather than the default of ".txt". Once the file has been saved, you can open or import it into your favorite genealogy program or a GEDCOM viewer program.

An excellent program for viewing GEDCOM files is GenViewer ($19.95) or GenViewer Lite (free) from MudCreek Software. Several public domain programs are also available (Google search for "GEDCOM" and "viewer").

As a Self-extracting GenViewer File

The advantage of using this type of download is that you do not have to import the data into a genealogy program to view it. The data is displayed the same as it would if you opened it in the GenViewer software. You do not need to buy or install the software. Note that you can only view the data, not edit it. You do, however, have a number of ways to view the data:(1) pedigree view, (2) family group sheet view, (3) individual record view, (4) descendant view and (5) alphabetical index view.

The disadvantage of this type of download is that some Virus Scanning software programs block the download because it is an executable program file. It is perfectly safe to run but most virus scanners can not distinguish it from an executable file that contains a virus. You may need to indicate to your virus scanner that this program is safe to download. The way to do this will depend on which virus scanner you are using. Depending on your browser, virus software and program settings, the method to open the file will vary. Some will present you with a window with a button that asks if your want to run the program. Others will ask you to download the file to your computer. You can then run the program by double clicking on the file name. Note: The self-extracting GenView option only works if you are using the Windows Operating System (XP, Vista, 7 or 8). If you have any problems with this method, contact Dale Alsop for assistance.

STEP 4:

If you found your ancestral surname in more than one of the GEDCOM lists of surnames, download the other GEDCOM(s) as well. Be sure to give each new file a separate file name so the next one doesn’t overwrite (delete) the previous one.

For example, if you called your first download file Janavel-1, you could call the next one Janavel-2. Such a system would permit you to download as many separate files as you need.

STEP 5:

Discover whether or not your ancestor is actually in the GEDCOM file you downloaded.

To do this, you will need to view the file (if you are using GenViewer) or else open the file in your favorite genealogy program. Use the SEARCH function to find the surname you are searching, and then scroll down to see if your ancestor’s first name is included in this file. You could also open the GEDCOM in your favorite text editor (Word, Wordpad, Notepad, etc.) but it is somewhat difficult to read.

If you find your ancestor's name, analyze the information carefully to be sure it is in fact your ancestor. Remember that the Waldensian Naming Pattern resulted in many people having the exact same name. To review the Waldensian Naming Pattern, CLICK HERE.

If your ancestor is not in that file, make a note of that so you can delete the file when you finish analyzing each of your downloaded files for that surname.

STEP 6:

Continue checking each of your downloaded files in this same way.

STEP 7:

Decide which—if any—of your downloaded files to keep.

First, you can eliminate any file that does not include your ancestor (unless you feel that some of the people in the file will someday turn out to be directly related to you).

Then look at the sources of information used by the GEDCOM compiler for your ancestor’s family—you don’t want to accept anyone’s undocumented work, nor do you want to accept a family history with weak documentation—or one that has falsified information in it. CLICK HERE to learn about Falsified Waldensian ancestries.

It is entirely possible to have your same ancestor appear in more than one GEDCOM on this site, and it’s also entirely possible that the contributors of those GEDCOMs differ in how well they have documented their research. You want the best documented version you can get. In addition, one PFO family researcher may have noticed one or more bits of documentation that another researcher had missed.

And also look at how many generations of your ancestor’s own ancestors are included. One family researcher may have found more generations of the family than another reseacher found.

In sum, you want the most accurate, most comprehensive, best documented information you can find.

You may even decide to save the information about some generations of your family that are better documented in one downloaded file, and then add additional generations from another file that wasn’t quite as well documented but extended the pedigree to more generations.

STEP 8: 

At this point, if you feel comfortable with the new information you have found, add it to your own genealogy program. Be sure the first person(s) in the new addition to your your genealogy program is linked (as parent, child, or spouse) to those who are already in the program.

STEP 9: 

Delete any GEDCOM files you downloaded that you no longer need to keep.

STEP 10: 

If you have more than one Waldensian surname to find, repeat the above steps for each name.

STEP 11: 

At regular intervals, check back to see if more of your Waldensian ancestors have been added to any of the GEDCOMs on this site. If the surname you seek was not previously on one of the lists of the surnames in this section of the site, check the surname lists again to see if it appears. Then follow the above steps as appropriate.

Genealogies of PFO Family Researchers

Cardon and Allied Families

Compiled by Boyd Cardon

CARDON and related lines: Appia, Armand, Arnolf, Avondet, Azario, Balmas/Baimazzo, Barthelemi-Frache, Bartolomio, Beinat(Bleynat), Bellion, Bellonat,Beltramo, Benech, Berger, Bertin, Bertoto, Bertalot, Bertoto, Bezzone(Rivioijra), Blanchot, Bocho, Bolla, Bonino, Bonnet, Borne, Buffa, Cattre, Centallo, Chabriol-Meille, Chanforan, Charbonnier/ Carbonero, Centallo, Cheijrusso, Clotto, Coisson, Constantin, Danna, David, Dormiglioso, Durand, Favat, Favette, Fenoglio, Forneron, Frache/Fraschia, Frejria, Gaij/Gay/Gaye, Garcin, Gardiol, Gaudin/Godin/Godino, Gaudin-Moise, Gignoso/Gianavel/Gianavello, Gonin, Goss, Gautier/Gottero, Geimetto/Geymet/Giaijme, Giacomo, Giovine/Jouve, Imbert, Jacobin, Jahier, Jaime, Lantaret/Lantre, Magnotto, Malan, Marauda, Marchetto, Meglie, Mehet/Maetto, Meille, Michelin Micolay, Mirot, Mondon, Morglia, Musset, Olivet, Olivaro, Parisa, Paritia, Pascal-Pasquet, Pasquet, Pasquet-Magnard, Pasquet-Pagnon, Pavarin, Pellenc, Peyrot, Pisio, Prassuit, Princi, Prochet/Prochietto, Rage, Reymond/Reimondi, Ribet, Ricca, Richa, Richardo, Rivoire, Robert, Rol, Roman, Rostan/Rostagno, Salvageot, Sarret, Sibille, Simondet, Stale, Stringat, Torno/Tourn, Turin, Vachero, Viet

GEDCOM as Text

GEDCOM as Self-Extracting GedView Application

Malan and Allied Families

Compiled by Ronald F. Malan

NOTE: Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of ancestral lines in this database of that particular surname; an asterisk* indicates a Swiss or French/Swiss line related to a Waldensian line.

MALAN and related lines: Albarée, Albarin, Alessandri, Armand (4), Arnoul, Arnoul-Camus (3), Arnoulet, Artus, Ayassot, Barthelemi-Frache (2; see also Frache), Barthelemy (2), Bastie, Bastie-Carretier, Beinat/Bienat/Bleynat (2), Bellin (3), Bellin-Coisson, Bellon, Bellonat, Bellolnat-Sarret, Ben, Benech (4), Bernard, Berneaud, Bertin (4), Bertin-Vernet, Besson-Rivoire, Billour, Blanchot (3), Bonjour, Bonnet (3), Bonnet-Rivoire, Boillet*, Boule, Bourne, Brun (2), Brunerol, Bruyère*, Buffe, Carrier/Charrier, Cattre, Cesan, Chabriol-Viton, Chanforan (2), Chauvie (3), Claret, Clot, Cochet*, Coisson (3), Coisson-Belin, Combe, Coque, Costabel (4), Coupin (2), Court-Peuple, Curt, Curt-Saviot, Danesio, Danne, de Langin*, de Luc*, Defour*, Deluc*, Dema, Deneria*, Dognier*, Dufau*, Durand, Durand-Canton, Durand-Ruet, Faisan*, Fenouil-Frache (see also Barthelemi-Frache; Frache), Fonbonne*, Forneron, Frache (3; see also Barthelemi-Frache), Franc (2), Garcin, Gardiol, Gaudin/Godin, Gaudissard, Gautier, Geymet (2; see also Jaime), Gignous-Gay, Gignous-Jananvel (see also Janavel), Gilles, Gilles-Crois, Girard (3), Girardet, Gonin (5), Gonnetas, Grolier, Guigas, Hugon, Huguettaz*, Imbert (2), Imbert-Parise, Jaime (see also Geymet), Janavel (see also Gignous-Janavel), Jordan (2), Jouve, Justet (2), Justet-Alfas, Lancoin-Turin (see also Turin), Laurent, Levrat*, Lignere or Mondain*, Long, Long-Gen, Long-Prim, Maisonneuve*, Malan (5), Malanot (2), Manchon (2), Marauda, Martinail, Massel-Refourn, Mercier*, Meynier, Michelin, Mirot, Monastier, Mondon (2), Monnet, Musset (4), Naton, Nazarot, Nicod*, Nicod-Cugnet*, Nicol-Bouchie, Nicolet-Laurensin, Odin (7), Odoul-Roland (see also Roland), Pallazzo, Pappan*, Parise (4), Passet, Pastre, Pastre-Gonnet, Pavarin, Pellenc, Pelve, Perrachon, Perro (4), Perron, Peyronel, Peyrot (3), Peyrot-Malan, Philippe*, Pons (2), Prassuit, Prim-Petit, Prin, Puy, Puy-Beces, Puy-Claret, Revel, Reymond (2), Reymondet (3), Reymondet-Arnoulet, Reymondet-Jourdan, Reynaud, Ricca/Ricque (4), Richard*, Rivoire (2), Roche, Roche-Roussenc, Rol, Roland, Roman, Rostain, Rostan, Rostan-Minot, Rousset, Somis, Sarret, Saviot, Sibille (see also Subilie), Simond, Stallè(2), Stallè-Buffe, Stringat, Subilie (see also Sibille), Tourn (2), Travers, Turin, Villerme, Violin, Volle (3).

GEDCOM as Text

GEDCOM as Self-Extracting GedView Application

Gaudin, Rivoire and Allied Families

Compiled by Judy Leak Melton

Rivoire and related lines: Balmas, Bert, Bounous, Brunerol, Colombat, Forneron, Forneron-Navarre, Gallian, Gaydou, Grill, Jahier, Lorenzo, Malanot, Martinat, Meynier, Negrin/Negrin, Odin, Parise, Pasquet, Pavarin, Peyronel, Rivoire, Roche, Travers, Tron, Vinay

Pierre Rivoire (Revoir) as a GEDCOM

Pierre Rivoire (Revoir) GEDCOM as a Self-Extracting Gedview Application

Gaudin and related lines: Arnoul-Monnet, Avondet, Beinat/Bleynat, Benech, Berger, Bertinat, Bleynat, Bourne, Buffe, Cardon, Forneron, Gardiol, Gaudin, Gay, Martinat, Monnet, Odin, Pasquet, Pasquet-Pagnon, Prassuit, Ricca, Robert, Roman, Rostan, Sarret, Simond

Judith Gaudin as a GEDCOM

Judith Gaudin GEDCOM as a Self-Extracting Gedview Application

Gardiol and Allied Families

Compiled by Arva Witbeck

Durand and related lines: Armand, Barnier-Sarto, Barthelemi, Bastie, Bellonat, Boer, Brunerol, Buffe, Coucourde, Couvourde, Durand, Fenouil, Foreron, Frache, Gay, Griot, Imbert, Jahier, Malan, Malanot, Michelin, Mirot, Negrin, Parise, Pasquet, Pellenc, Rivoire, Roman, Rostan/Rostin, Salvageot, Tourn, Tron

Catherine Marguerite Durand as a GEDCOM

Catherine Marguerite Durand GEDCOM as a Self-Extracting Gedview Application