Netherlands, Friesland Province, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of church records of baptisms, marriages, memberships, deaths and burials. Civil births, marriages, and deaths before the advent of Napoleonic Civil Registration in 1811 are also included. Not all places or denominations are represented. The records are in Dutch, Flemish, French, and Latin.

The collection covers the years 1543 to 1911, but most of the records do not go beyond 1811.

For information about the history, content, and use of these records see the wiki article Netherlands Church Records.

These records are in Dutch and Flemish.

How Do I Search This Collection?
To search the collection images:

⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Religion or Other Record Category" ⇒Select the appropriate "Municipality" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Years and Volume" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one, comparing the information you find 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. As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, as well as some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated birth/death year, and family relationships.

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 indexes 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 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. Try searching for these names as well
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies
 * 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

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.

"Netherlands, Friesland Province Church Records, 1543-1911." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Citing Nederlands Rijksarchiefdienst [Netherlands National Archives, The Hague].
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