Germany, Prussia, Pomerania, Stralsund, Church Book Indexes - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records of alphabetically arranged cards from 1600 to 1900. Card indexes may be handwritten or type written in pre-printed cards. These records are written in German.

The collection also includes some baptismal, marriage, and death records from the Evangelical and Catholic churches, as well as church book duplicates.

This collection indexes over 95% of the christenings, marriages, and burials that took place in Stralsund between 1600 and 1900.

This card file, created by the Stadtarchiv Stralsund, was initiated in the 1930s and completed about 1980.

There are several sets of card files as follows: These indexes were created from the church books of the various parishes in Stralsburg and Voigdehagen: Beginning in 1875, civil registration books were also indexed and include records for a small amount of Jews residing in the area. The original books indexed by the card file are located in the Stadtarchiv Stralsund in Germany. In 1616, a resolution required all parish clergy to keep a separate book to record names and events which took place in their parish district.
 * Stralsund Births
 * Stralsund Marriages
 * Stralsund Deaths
 * Burials for the St. Johannis church
 * Voigdehagen Births
 * Voigdehagen Marriages
 * Voigdehagen Deaths
 * St. Jakobi
 * St. Marien
 * St. Nikolai
 * Heilige Dreifaltigkeit (Roman Catholic)
 * Heilgeist (Hospital church)
 * St. Jürgen (Hospital church)

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. The Germany, Prussia, Pomerania, Stralsund, Church Book Indexes collection is available for viewing if you are a registered FamilySearch patron. You can register for a free FamilySearch account here.

Sample Images
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How Do I Search This Collection?
It is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's name
 * Residence
 * Age or birth date
 * Names of family members

Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information in the list to what you already know about your ancestor to determine if it is the correct family or person. You may need to compare several persons in the list before you find your ancestor. To search by image: ⇒Select "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select "Parish" category ⇒Select "Event type" category ⇒Select "First name in the sequence" category which takes you to the images

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

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

 * Use the age in the citizen to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved, been recruited or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records in the country.
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either German Civil Registration records or German Church records may be more useful.
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies.

Known Issues with This Collection
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Citing This Collection
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