Records are held on microfilm by "Commune" within "Departement" and are not indexed. Hence the need, ideally, to pinpoint the "Commune". Checking for the relevant "Departement" for Lorraine it delivers "Meurthe-et-Moselle", a "Departement" that comprises 106 "Communes" ie.
http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/s/1/etat-civil/resultats/?&ref_fonds=1&debut=0Where the "Commune" includes "T.D" (Tables Decennale) this is a 10 year summary in alphabetical order by Surname of the "Actes de
Naissance/birth,
Marriage/marriage and
Deces/death for the previous 10 years. They tend to be filmed at the beginning of the film (but no guarantee - I've only checked a few "Communes"). "T.D"s are the exception rather than the rule.
Else it means ploughing through the film to the period of "naissances/births" you are interested in and checking entry by entry - which, again, is not easy depending on handwriting/quality of film..
As joger points out " .... it may be very difficult to find him".
