Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, Archdiocese of Paderborn, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Church records (parish registers, church books) are the main source of genealogical information in Germany before civil registration began in 1876. They record details of baptisms, marriages, confirmations, deaths and burials. Generally, the majority of the population can be found in the records. Additionally, these records can contain financial account books which may detail expenses incurred in performing marriages, funeral masses, etc., Lists of persons receiving communion, penance registers, lists of church members and registers naming members of each family.

It is important to know the religious affiliation of your ancestors as Catholic and Protestant parishes kept separate records. Catholic registers, especially the earliest volumes, are generally written in Latin. In many regions, it was also common for the local church records to function in the role of civil registrar.

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains Catholic church records from the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Paderborn, Germany.

Reading These Records
These records are written in German and Latin. For help reading these records see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Reading German Handwritten Records

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptism (Taufen)
 * Date of baptism
 * Name of child
 * Date of birth
 * Gender
 * Parents’ names (including mother’s maiden name)
 * Witnesses or godparents

Confirmation
 * Name of confirmand
 * Age
 * Parent's names

Marriage (Heiraten)
 * Date of marriage
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Names of bride and groom’s parents
 * Age of bride and groom
 * Birth year of bride and groom

Death (Tote) and Burial (Begräbnisse)
 * Date of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Parents’ names
 * Spouse’s name (if married)
 * Occupation of deceased

Collection Content
For details about the contents of these records, their history, and help using them see Germany, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if if provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Germany.
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Germany Record Finder

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.