Population of Graffigny-Chemin, 1843 - 1952

How has the population of Graffigny-Chemin changed from 1840 to 2010. From 1975 to today, the population has dropped from 329 to 211. Population Graffigny.


We will start with the modern day premise that there are about 19 births per year per 1,000 people. Birth Rate, Wikipedia. Let's see if we can go back in time to the 1840's.

Detail of birth records of Graffigny-Chemin 1845

The Archives de la Haute-Marne 1843 - 1852 record the marriages, births and deaths of the little village of Graffigny-Chemin. In 1843 the register recorded 22 births (page 6 and 9). Using the ratio of 40 births per 1,000 inhabitants, suggested by Fernand Braudel in The Structures of Everyday Life page 71, it is possible that 880 inhabitants lived in Graffigny in 1843. Elisa Constance Emma Chevallier, daughter of Alexander Chevallier, (age 33, lumber merchant), and Marie  Genevieve Roucher, was born that year on May the 4th.

The following year, 1844, 21 births are recorded (page 15). There are no Chevalliers, but there are 3 Collins, another family name. In 1845, 25 births are recorded without a Chevallier listed (page 25). In 1846, only 17 births are recorded (page 29).

On the 4th of April, 1847, Paul Constant Chevallier (my great great grandfather) married Anne Marie Richier. Paul was the child of Hilaire Chevallier and Anne Collin, ages 76 and 65. Paul Constant Chevallier is listed as the oldest son and without a profession, "garcon majeur et sans profession". Anne, his spouse was born in 1829 and is 18 years old at the date of the marriage.She is the daughter of Jean Thomas Richier (deceased) and Jeanne Morel.

Back to the lists of births. In 1847, it is 20 births (page 36). In 1848, it is 25 births including Paul Erneste Chevallier, born on the 17th of February, first son of Paul Constant Chevallier, age 26, proprieter, and Anne Marie Richier , (pages 41 and 44).

In 1849, it is 25 births. In 1850 there are 20 births including Marie Alexandune ? Elmire Chevallier, child of Paul Constant Chevallier and his wife Anne Marie Richier (pages 54 and 59). Aunt Elmire later figures in correspondence with my grandmother Marguerite just after the First World War.

In 1851, it is 28 births (page 68). And in 1852, it is back down to 14 births including Camille Oreste Chevallier, another daughter of Paul and Anne (pages 69 and 72).

Estimating populations from birth records is an inexact science. The number of births in Graffigny for the ten years ranged from a low of 14 births to a high of 25 with 20 births as a statistical norm.

The birth rate today is about 20 births per 1,000. But, I assume the 1840's experienced a higher birth rate with more children per family than today. With that in mind, we need to take a little off the top. And so we can guess at 800 souls in Graffigny in 1840.

Note to self. The list of marriages starts on page 73 of the Archives.

Eglise St Élophe et St Christophe de Graffigny - the church of St Elophe and St Cristopher

Five roads access the village of Graffigny - from the north and the village of Nijon, from the east and highway E21, from the southeast and the village of Chaumont-la-ville, from the southwest along D214 and the village of Mailancourt-sur-ville, and finally, from the northwest along D16 and Bourmont.

Churches of Graffigny-Chemin

Graffigny-Chemin,  a small village of less than 300 souls,  has two churches, the Eglise St Élophe et St Christophe de Graffigny and the Eglise St Nicolas de Chemin.

As the names suggest, the first church serves Graffigny, and the other, the even smaller adjoining village of Chemin. Chemin, in French, means pathway, and the pathway that crosses Chemin is called the Voie Romaine, or Roman Way, that has existed since Roman times.


Eglise St Élophe et St Christophe de Graffigny

The church of St Élophe (St. Adophe) and St Christopher is along the Voie Romaine at the intersection of the Rue du Chene and the Chemin de l'Eglise. The church stands across the square from my grandmother's home. Saint Élophe is a fourth century martyr, decapitated along the Voie Romaine at Solimariaca. St Christopher is the patron saint of travelers.

l'eglise de St Elophe et St Christophe, Graffigny (google maps)

Chemin de l'eglise (google maps)

my grandmother's house (google maps)

The interior of the church reveals a beautiful altar piece. Along the sides leading to the altar are stain glass windows. Two of the windows are donated by the family Chevallier. One is from the family of Paul Constant Chevallier, my great great grandfather. The second is a donation of Madame Charles Hipolyte Chevallier, the older brother of Paul Constant.

Interior of the Eglise St Elophe et St Christophe de Graffigny-Chemin

The two windows can be found on the right hand side of the church as you enter. The window to the left is donated by  Madame Hippolyte Chevallier, the second, on the right, from the family of Paul Constant Chevallier. 

The Family Chevallier


You can view a listing of the marriages in Graffigny-Chemin by clicking here. Find details of the marriage of Paul Constant Chevallier and Anne Marie Richier. Paul was 25 and Anne 18 at the time of their marriage in 1847. Read about Charles Hippolyte Chevallier and Elise Victoire Jounieaux, his wife. Charles did not marry until  1876 at the age of 60. His wife Elise was then 32.


There is a third brother Claude Alexandre Chevallier. He is the oldest of the three. His marriage to Marie Geneviève Royer is recorded in 1838.