Austria, Upper Austria, Hoheneck Collection - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Österreich, Oberösterreich, Sammlung Hoheneck 1400-1800

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1400-1800.

This collection includes records of genealogical manuscripts and printed works acquired by Baron Johann Georg Adam Hoheneck. The materials are concerned with the history of Austrian nobility. Original records are in the Oberösterreichisches Landesarchiv (Provincial Archives of Upper Austria), Linz, Austria.

This records are in German. Refer to the For Help Reading the Records section of this article for further translation tools.

Record History
During the time of these records, Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Its nobility system was comparable to that of Germany’s (also part of the Holy Roman Empire). More information on Germany’s nobility can be found in this wiki article and this GenWiki link.

Austria’s nobility was divided into two groups: the higher nobility comprised of princes and counts and the lower nobility comprised of barons, knights and untitled noble families. During this time, nobility could either be inherited or bestowed upon a family by a select few powerful people (such as the Archduke of Austria). Families of the high nobility possessed grand amounts of land and wealth. They also commonly served and had great influence in the court, playing a major part in politics at the time.

Under the Law on the Abolition of Nobility, Austria eliminated its noble classes in 1919. Nobility lost their titles as well as their privileges. However, this was only effective in Austria. Traveling Austrian nobility were still commonly referred to with their titles in other countries.

Record Content
These records may contain any of the following information:


 * Name of primary individuals
 * Birth date and place
 * Baptism date and place
 * Marriage date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of other family members
 * Residences

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the name of your ancestor and identifying information about them, such as birth date, residency or their parents' names.

Search this Collection
To search the collection:

⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "_____________" ⇒Select the appropriate "_____________" ⇒Select the appropriate "_____________" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information 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.

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, and family relationships. 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.

For Help Reading the Records
These records are in German. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * German Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * Germany Resources

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.

Related Websites

 * Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek
 * Researching in the Austrian Empire
 * Osterreichisches Staatsarchiv
 * Research in Austria

Related Wiki Articles

 * Austria
 * Austria, Upper Austria, Wels, Census Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Austria, Upper Austria, Linz Citizen Rolls (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Austria, Upper Austria, Linz, Death Certificates (FamilySearch Historical 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