Netherlands, Friesland Province, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of church records of baptisms, marriages, memberships, deaths and burials. Civil births, marriages, and deaths before the advent of Napoleonic Civil Registration in 1811 are also included. Not all places or denominations are represented. The records are in Dutch, Flemish, French, and Latin.

The collection covers the years 1543 to 1911, but most of the records do not go beyond 1811.

For information about the history, content, and use of these records see the wiki article Netherlands Church Records.

Record Content
Baptism records generally contain the following information:


 * Date and place of event
 * Name of child
 * Age or birth date
 * Legitimacy
 * Names of parents
 * Residence place
 * Witnesses or godparents

Marriage records generally contain the following information:


 * Date and place of event
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Residence, marital status, and age
 * Names of parents
 * Names of witnesses

Death records generally contain the following information:


 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Place of residence
 * Names of family members
 * Cause of death

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, some tips on how to find records, and what to do if no record is found.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated birth/death year, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Religion or Other Record Category" ⇒Select the appropriate "Municipality" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Years and Volume" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information you find with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Dutch, Flemish, French, and Latin. For help with reading the records, see the following resources:


 * Netherlands Language and Languages
 * French Wordlist
 * France Language and Languages
 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Dutch Script Tutorial
 * French Script Tutorial

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives

Related Websites

 * Trace Your Dutch Roots
 * Dutch Genealogy
 * Zoekakten - This website is in Dutch. It narrows down this collection by different regions and records.

Related Wiki Articles

 * The Netherlands
 * Netherlands Church Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation  Image Citation: