Netherlands Websites

◄ Netherlands Homepage

Overview
Have you always wanted to know from whom you are descended? Genlias gives you a quick way to find your Dutch forebears, both in the Netherlands and overseas. Your search is in the most accurate source for Dutch genealogy, the Civil Register. And it is not difficult!

GenLias is a national Dutch database containing information for use in genealogical research. It is a joint initiative by the national archive services and the regional historical centres. This means that it is not a database of documents held by the Nationaal Archief.

GenLias holds data from the Civil Register. This is the official record of births, marriages and deaths in the Netherlands. It has existed in most of the country since 1811, but in the province of Limburg somewhat longer. Although GenLias contains a large proportion of this data, not all Dutch local authorities are yet included. Some provinces, such as Zuid-Holland, are still barely represented.

The database also contains some details of baptisms, marriages and deaths maintained by church parishes prior to 1811, as well as memoranda of inheritance from the 19th century.

On the GenLias homepage itself, you can download a detailed summary of the data available. To reach this, click on the "What's in GenLias?" link. Scroll down till you find "Current database status" and click on the orange(!) link. Choose the province and then the town you are looking for. If the town is not there, no records are as yet available on this site. If there are records, it will tell you which time period and what type of records are covered. There are even records included from some of the Dutch colonies.

Statistics 2009 Genlias currently contains 13.5 million records, representing almost 55 million individuals. In 2009 Genlias was visited 2 million times and almost 23 million questions were answered.

Content
The Genlias site includes:

Births (1811 to 1903) Marriages (1811 to 1923) Deaths (1811 to 1953) Death duties - statements of succession

According to the Genlias site:

A record of birth provides you with the following information:


 * The name of the child
 * The names of the parents
 * The exact date of birth
 * The place of birth

A record of marriage provides you with the following information:


 * The names and ages of the bride and groom
 * In most cases, the names of the bride's and the groom's parents
 * In most cases, the places of birth of the bride and groom
 * Whether the bride is a widow or the groom a widower
 * In most cases the profession of groom and/or bride

A record of death provides you with the following information:


 * The name of the deceased
 * The exact date of death
 * In most cases, the name of the deceased's parents
 * In most cases, the age of the deceased
 * In some cases, the deceased's place of birth
 * In some cases, the name of the deceased's spouse

Using the Genilas Site

When you first visit the Genlias site, it will initially come up in Dutch. If you want to view it in English, click 'English' at the top of the home page.

Cost

Most genealogical websites in the Netherlands are free.

If you want to find genealogical websites in the Netherlands, search this website: Genealogie in Nederlandse provinciën

Other genealogical websites in the Netherlands include:


 * Digital Resources Here you can find web-sites for every province on a regional as well as local levels.
 * Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie The CBG is the ideal starting point for most research into Dutch ancestors or Dutch migrants who settled in other countries in the world.

Check your family name in our online catalogue inside the frame at the top right hand corner and find corresponding entries into our collections. For catalogue information click catalogue. In our digital reading room you have access to an increasing number of digitized collections.


 * Geneanet
 * Genealogie Online Genealogy Online - Publish your family tree for free and/or search for your ancestors
 * Tomb stones
 * VOC Sea - Voyagers Information on people sailing with the East India Company
 * Dutch Genealogical Society For this site you have to register
 * Netherlands Genealogy Links

Some specific web-sites:

 * City Archives

For more information on vital records see also "Civil Registration" or "Church Records"