Estonia Population Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Estonia

What is in This Collection?
These records made after the Russian Revolution through the end of World War II. It includes records of taxpayers, citizens, Jews, Germans, and prisoners of war. They include records such as inhabitant records and tax censuses.

The National Archive of Estonia is the center of archival administration in Estonia and a government agency in the domain of the State Chancellery, which includes Estonian Historical Archives, Estonian State Archives, Estonian Film Archives, and six regional Archives from Harju, Lääne, Lääne-Viru, Saare, Tartu and Valga. Records were created at the local level and later archived in the National Archive.

Most of these types of records are used as a secondary source when records for ancestors cannot be found in civil or church records.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Reading These Records
These records are written in German, Russian and Estonian. For help reading these records see the following:
 * German Word List
 * German Language and Languages
 * Germany Handwriting
 * Russian Genealogical Word List
 * Russia Language and Languages
 * Russia Handwriting

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information in these records usually include the following:

Population registers
 * Number in consecutive order
 * Registration date: month/day
 * Family name
 * Date of birth
 * Citizenship
 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Document that confirms where person lives
 * Reports on the performance of military duties
 * Origination place and date (year/month/day/where from)
 * Residence (village, farm, mansion, town and house)
 * Destination date and place
 * Comments

Tax censuses
 * Number in consecutive order
 * Tax payer (family first and last name)
 * Birth year
 * Residence place
 * Male
 * Female
 * Payment
 * Receipt #
 * Paid: Debt / Tax / Percent deferral / Total
 * Remaining debt
 * Retired
 * Comments

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?

 * 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
 * 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?

 * Consult the Estonia Record Finder to find other records
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or 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
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Estonia.
 * Estonia 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.