Netherlands - Birth - 1811-Present

1. Register of Births: Civil registration Beginning in 1811, the government required civil registrars to keep birth records. These records included more information than the earlier church christening records.

What you are looking for Civil registers are the best source for determining when a person was born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Dutch civil registry records have been microfilmed.

2. Marriage Register: Civil registration Beginning in 1811, the government required civil registrars to keep marriage records. These records included more information than the earlier church marriage records.

What you are looking for Couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Marriage records may not give a birth or christening date, but they give the age of the bride and groom, making it possible to determine their approximate birth years.

Why go to the next record Not all civil register marriage records have been microfilmed.

3. Marriage Supplements: Civil registration Marriage supplements were required records when a couple wanted to marry. The bride and groom needed to prove their identity. They had to present an extract of their birth (or baptismal) record. The couple also needed their parents' permission to marry. If a parent had died, then an extract of his or her death record was required, and the grandparents gave permission to marry. If the grandparents had died, then (before 1842) extracts of their death records were also required.

What you are looking for When civil register marriage records do not exist, marriage supplement records are the best source for determining when a person was born. These records contain a copy of the birth or christening record of the bride and groom.

Why go to the next record Not all marriage supplement records have been microfilmed, and the dates of these records vary.

4. Death Record: Civil registration Beginning in 1811, the government required civil registrars to keep death records. These records include more information than earlier church burial records.

What you are looking for When marriage supplement records do not exist, civil registry death records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Death records may not give a birth or christening date, but they give a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all death records have been microfilmed.

5. Census: Census Census or population records were not kept with any consistency or regularity before 1850. If an age is given, use the records to estimate a person's birth date. After 1850, birth dates and places are given. The records can also help identify all the members of a family and help determine where a family originated.

What you are looking for When civil registry death records do not exist, census records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Census records will either give a birth date or a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all census records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

6. Name Adoption Records: Names, Personal Name adoption records give surnames that people chose when the government began requiring them to have surnames. Ages or birth dates are frequently given. The records are often arranged in family groupings.

What you are looking for When census records do not exist, name adoption records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Name adoption records will either give a birth date or a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all name adoption records have been microfilmed, and the availability of these records varies from place to place.

7. Service Record: Military records Military records after 1700 provide the date and place of birth of every male that served in the military. The name of the father and his occupation may also be given.

What you are looking for When name adoption records do not exist, military records are the best source for determining when a male person was born. Military records will usually give a birth date or a person's age, making it possible to determine his approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all military records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.