Germany, Prussia, Brandenburg, Cottbus, Miscellaneous City Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This Collection will include records from 1672 to 1919.

This is a collection of mixed records from the city archives of Cottbus. Most of the records are handwritten in narrative style and, in later years, in formatted forms. The records may include items from Sandow as well as the following:
 * Military records
 * Land and proprety records
 * Citizen rolls
 * Jewish records
 * City directories
 * Wills and estates
 * Land and tenancy records
 * Court records
 * Tax records
 * Funeral sermons and sexton records
 * Voting registers
 * Council meeting protocols
 * Hospital books

Reading These Records
For help reading these German records see the following guides:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading German Handwritten Records

How Do I Search This Collection?
It is helpful to know at least one of the following:
 * 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 browse by image:
 * 1) Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page
 * 2) Select “City or Town”
 * 3) Select “Category”
 * 4) Select “Record type, Year range, and Volume” 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 marriage records 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 been born, married or died 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
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900. If the officiator of a marriage or death was a minister, you may be able to determine to which religion or congregation your ancestor belonged. Look for church records of the birth, marriage, or death which may provide more information on the family

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, German Civil Registration records or German Church records may be more useful
 * 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

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. "Germany, Prussia, Brandenburg, Cottbus, Miscellaneaous City Records, 1672-1919." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Stadtarchiv Cottbus (Cottbus City Archives).
 * Collection Citation:

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