Netherlands Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection of civil registration records from provinces of the Netherlands covers the years of 1811 through 1950.

Record Description
This collection includes images of the records of civil births, marriages, marriage intentions, marriage proclamations, marriage supplements, deaths, and 10-year indexes. The events are recorded either totally by hand or in partially preprinted books where the information was entered by hand. This collection of records has been preserved relatively well; however, some older records may have some physical damage.

The collection was assembled from existing records, usually books or ledgers. Sometimes the original record book contained one type of entry, such as births. Sometimes, the book contained multiple record types, such as births, deaths, and marriages. Therefore, as you search the records, you will find a mixture of record types even though the heading mentions only one type of record initially. The heading may change as you search the specific collection to reflect the variety of records it contains. Thus, searching in marriages may lead to both marriage and divorce records. The same will be true when searching divorces

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most birth records include the following: • Name of the child • Gender of the child • Child’s place of birth • Date and time of birth • Parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name • Parent’s occupations, ages, and marital statuses • Names of witnesses, who could also be family members

The key genealogical facts found on most marriages records include the following: • Names of the bride and groom • Their marital statuses • Their places of birth and ages • Place, date, and time of the event • Their occupations and residence • Parents’ names, their residences, and occupations if living • Names of witnesses, who could also be family members

The key genealogical facts found on most death records include the following: • Name of the deceased person • Date and place of death • Gender and age of the deceased • Deceased’s place of birth • Occupation of the person at the time of death • Spouse’s name and occupation, if the deceased was married • Deceased’s death place • Parents’ names, occupations, and residence if living, and if not living, the place of death • Name and information of the informant, who could be a relative • Names of witnesses, who could also be relatives

How to Use the Record
It is important to know that in order to search a birth record one needs to search by the given name of the child, the mother’s maiden name, and the father’s name. Children are never labeled as “illegitimate,” but the mother is noted as being “unmarried.” If the father and mother of the child later marry, it will be noted in the margin of the birth certificate with an indication that the child is “recognized” as theirs. Also, the child’s last name will be changed to the father’s last name. In this case, the child is given the mother’s last name at birth but later go on in life with the father’s last name.

If you believe a marriage took place but cannot find a record of the marriage, search records of intent to marry. Take note of the marriage entry number; you will need this to locate the marriage supplements, which are the documents filed by the bride and groom in support of their application to be married.

Civil death records often exist for individuals who do not have birth or marriage records. Married women are recorded under their maiden surname.

Record History
The French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, introduced civil registration in the Netherlands at the time of the French occupation in the late 1700s, beginning mainly in the southern provinces. In 1811, the rest of the country began implementing the recording of births, marriages, and deaths using a standard format. Two copies of the records were created; one stayed in the local registration district, and the second was sent annually to the district court. The district court created the ten-year indexes and eventually deposited the records and ten-year indexes in the provincial archives.

Why This Collection Was Created
The civil registration serves to officially record the events of birth, marriage, and death in a person’s life. These records also serve for statistical purposes, and in the earlier years, the records were also used for military drafting.

Record Reliability
The civil registration records for the Netherlands are a reliable source for genealogical research after 1811. For events prior to March 1811, it is best to search church records.

Related Web Sites
There is a site in Dutch that lists all the know problems and the correct waypoints to find a particular record in all our Dutch Familysearch collections. It is located at: www.genver.nl/fs/fsindex.htm

There is also a site call Genlias which is a compilation of indexed records from the Netherlands, including some from Dutch colonies, mostly dating from 1811 until the mid-1900s. It can be found at www.genlias.nl. It is in Dutch, but with an option to view and search in English. While it is not complete as yet, it is extensive, with records still being added. Images for many of the indexed records on Genlias can be found in the collections on Familysearch.org.

Related Wiki Article
Netherlands Civil Registration

Known Issues With This Collection

 * 1) 1 - Multiple entry points may access the same record. #2 –Heading changes as you search the specific collection to reflect the variety of records it contains. #3—Link takes you to the wrong municipality or wrong record type. #4—Missing images or records. #5—Mislabled links.


 * 1) 6--Records out of order. Click here for detailed information on each issue.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from the record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find th record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you do not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

The suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection:
"Netherlands, Civil Registration, 1792-1952." index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 25 March 2011. entry for Roelof Dijkstra and Geertruid Knopers, married 13 March 1891; citing Civil Registrations, inventory number 123.04662; Rijksarcheifdienst, Netherlands.

Sources of This Collection
“Netherlands Civil Registration 1811-1950”, database, FamilySearch, 2010; from Rijksarchiefdienst (State Archive Service), Netherlands. “Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand”. Rijksarchief of Netherlands. FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Utah, USA. Digital copies of originals housed in different Provincial Archive Services (Rijksarchief) throughout the Netherlands.