Romania Guild and Apprenticeship records

Guild and Apprenticeship records
Guild and apprenticeship records were records of merchants, craftsmen, tradesmen, skilled laborers, and persons bound by indenture who served others for prescribed periods of time to learn an art or a trade. Records begin in 1450 and represent some of the oldest family history records in Romania. They were maintained until about 1800. These records can be used to gather information on the apprentice and his family members (namely parents) and places and dates of residence. They are especially useful in the earlier years when other church or vital records do not exist.

Coverage: 5-10% of the population can be found in guild and apprenticeship records.

Content: Includes names of skilled laborers, craftsmen, and apprenticeships, ages or dates of birth, places of origin and residence, family relationships, and types of skills to be learned. It may also include names of persons with whom the apprentice is indentured. Some guild records also list family members and dates of birth and marriages

Accessing the Records: Regional Archives hold guild and apprenticeship records. Archives do not do research, so a researcher must be hired. The Family History Library does not have any of these records.