# Vacqueriette-Erquières

> commune in Pas-de-Calais, France

**Wikidata**: [Q1024392](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1024392)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacqueriette-Erquières)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vacqueriette-erqui-res

## Summary

Vacqueriette-Erquières is a commune located in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is a small rural municipality situated at coordinates 50.327777777778°N latitude and 2.0788888888889°E longitude, historically part of the canton of Le Parcq until March 2015 and now within the arrondissements of Montreuil and Arras.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name**: Vacqueriette-Erquières
- **Aliases**: Erquières, Vacqueriette
- **Country**: France
- **Department**: Pas-de-Calais (inception: March 4, 1790)
- **Region**: Hauts-de-France
- **Historical Canton**: Le Parcq (until March 2015)
- **Arrondissements**: Montreuil, Arras
- **Administrative Classification**: Commune of France (territorial subdivision, inception: 1789)
- **Coordinates**: 50.327777777778°N, 2.0788888888889°E
- **Population**: Approximately 245 to 261 residents (various census years)
- **Sitelink Count**: 44
- **Wikipedia Title**: Vacqueriette-Erquières
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Pas-de-Calais, France

## FAQs

**What region is Vacqueriette-Erquières located in?**

Vacqueriette-Erquières is located in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France, near the border with the Somme department.

**What administrative divisions does Vacqueriette-Erquières belong to?**

Vacqueriette-Erquières is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department. It was historically part of the canton of Le Parcq until March 2015 and now falls under the arrondissements of both Montreuil and Arras.

**What is the population of Vacqueriette-Erquières?**

Vacqueriette-Erquières is a small commune with a population ranging between 245 and 261 residents across various census years, typical of rural communities in the Pas-de-Calais region.

**What are the alternative names for Vacqueriette-Erquières?**

The commune is known by two historical name variants: Erquières and Vacqueriette. The current official name combines both historical designations.

**What type of municipality is Vacqueriette-Erquières?**

Vacqueriette-Erquières is classified as a commune of France, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in the French administrative system, a structure established in 1789.

## Why It Matters

Vacqueriette-Erquières represents the quintessential rural French commune that forms the backbone of France's territorial organization. As one of the thousands of communes in the Pas-de-Calais department, it contributes to the demographic and administrative fabric of northern France. The commune's location in the historical region of Artois places it within an area of significant historical importance, as Pas-de-Calais has been a strategic region throughout French history due to its proximity to the English Channel and historical conflicts between France and neighboring powers.

The commune exemplifies the French administrative tradition of decentralized governance, where small municipalities maintain local identity while being integrated into larger departmental and regional structures. Vacqueriette-Erquières' inclusion in both the arrondissement of Montreuil and the arrondissement of Arras reflects the interconnected administrative networks that characterize French local government.

For those studying French territorial organization or researching rural demographics in northern France, Vacqueriette-Erquières serves as a data point representing the small-scale administrative units that collectively comprise the French Republic's 643,801 square kilometers of territory.

## Notable For

- **Historical Administrative Structure**: Part of the canton of Le Parcq until the French administrative reorganization of March 2015
- **Dual Arrondissement Coverage**: Subject to administrative jurisdiction of both Montreuil and Arras arrondissements
- **Rural Character**: Small population typical of agricultural communes in the Pas-de-Calais department
- **Historical Naming**: Preserves dual historical namesakes (Erquières and Vacqueriette) in its official designation

## Body

### Geography and Location

Vacqueriette-Erquières is situated in the northern French department of Pas-de-Calais, precisely positioned at coordinates 50.327777777778°N latitude and 2.0788888888889°E longitude. The commune lies within the Hauts-de-France region, formerly known as Nord-Pas-de-Calais, which occupies the northernmost portion of metropolitan France. This geographical positioning places the commune in a landscape characterized by gently rolling farmland and small rural settlements, typical of the Artois region.

The commune's location in Pas-de-Calais places it in close proximity to significant historical sites and modern transportation networks, though being a small municipality, it maintains its rural character away from major urban centers. The department of Pas-de-Calais shares its northern border with the English Channel, making it strategically important throughout European history.

### Administrative History

Vacqueriette-Erquières operates as a commune of France, which represents the fundamental territorial subdivision for municipal governance in the French Republic. The commune as an administrative unit was established in 1789 during the French Revolution, marking a fundamental reorganization of France's territorial administration that replaced the previous system of parishes and provinces.

Historically, Vacqueriette-Erquières was part of the canton of Le Parcq until March 2015, when French administrative reforms led to the reorganization of cantonal boundaries. Following this reorganization, the commune became part of the administrative structure falling under the jurisdiction of both the arrondissement of Montreuil and the arrondissement of Arras, providing it with connections to two different administrative centers within the department.

The department of Pas-de-Calais itself was established on March 4, 1790, during the initial wave of departmental reorganization following the French Revolution. The department was formed from historical territories including Artois, Boulonnais, and parts of Picardy, creating an administrative unit that has maintained its boundaries largely unchanged since that time.

### Demographics and Community

As a small rural commune, Vacqueriette-Erquières maintains a modest population typically ranging between 245 and 261 residents across various census periods. This population size is characteristic of the numerous small communes that dot the French countryside, particularly in agricultural regions like Pas-de-Calais where farming remains an important economic activity.

The population figures reflect the broader demographic patterns in rural France, where many small communes experienced population decline during the 20th century before stabilizing in more recent decades. The commune's small size contributes to a close-knit community structure where local identity and agricultural traditions often remain strong.

### Nomenclature and Identity

The commune's official name, Vacqueriette-Erquières, incorporates two historical name variants that reflect the complex local history of the region. The aliases "Erquières" and "Vacqueriette" likely derive from local landholding patterns, family names, or historical administrative divisions that were eventually consolidated into the current municipal boundaries.

This dual naming convention is not uncommon in French communes, particularly in regions where historical settlements were eventually merged or where local toponymy evolved over centuries. The preservation of both names in the official designation maintains connection to local heritage and historical identity.

### Administrative Relationships

Vacqueriette-Erquières exists within a hierarchical system of French administrative divisions. At the base level is the commune itself, which is part of the canton system (historically Le Parcq). Multiple communes are grouped into arrondissements, with Vacqueriette-Erquières falling under both Montreuil and Arras. The arrondissement level serves as an intermediate administrative division between communes and the departmental government.

At the departmental level, Pas-de-Calais is governed from the prefecture located in Arras, with a sub-prefecture in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The department is itself part of the larger Hauts-de-France region, which encompasses multiple departments in northern France and is governed from the regional capital of Lille.

This multi-layered administrative structure reflects the French tradition of centralized governance with local administrative autonomy, where communes maintain significant responsibilities for local affairs while being integrated into broader regional and national frameworks.

### Regional Context

The commune of Vacqueriette-Erquières is located in an area of France that has played significant roles throughout European history. The Pas-de-Calais department has been a theater of conflict multiple times throughout history due to its strategic position between France and neighboring territories. The region contains numerous historical sites from various periods, including medieval architecture, World War I battlefields and memorials, and more recent agricultural and industrial heritage.

The local economy of the region is primarily agricultural, with farming operations typical of the fertile plains of northern France. The agricultural character of the area influences both the landscape and the community structure of communes like Vacqueriette-Erquières, where seasonal rhythms and agricultural traditions often shape daily life.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
3. INSEE code
4. OpenStreetMap
5. répertoire géographique des communes
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Annuaire de service-public.fr
8. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
9. Populations légales 2016
10. Populations légales 2017
11. Populations légales 2018
12. Populations légales 2019
13. Populations légales 2020
14. Populations légales 2021
15. Populations de référence 2022
16. Populations de référence 2023
17. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
18. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
19. GeoNames
20. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
21. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
22. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)