Austria, Upper Austria, Wels, Census Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Österreich, Oberösterreich, Wels, Volkszählungen, Verlassenschaften und Zunftbücher, 1613-1900

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of several record sets from Wels, Upper Austria. It will include census records, guild records, and probate records for the city of Wels. The census records give the name of the homeowner, head of household, wife, children, ages, and occupations. The guild records are limited to the toolmakers and carpenters. The original records are located in the Wels City Archives, Austria.

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

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Name of the homeowner
 * Name of head of household
 * Names of family members
 * Age
 * Place of birth (sometimes)
 * Occupation

Sample Image
This collection may include the following information:

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know the name and some other identifying information such as age and occupation.

To search the collection image by image:
 * 1) Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page
 * 2) Select the appropriate "Quellengattung, Zeitraum, und Bandnummer" (record type, years and number) which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information 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.

When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

What Do I Do Next?
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. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Look for variant spellings of the surnames
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life (for example: they may have gone by their middle name)
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date
 * Search the records of nearby counties places (for example: Linz)

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.

"Österreich, Oberösterreich, Wels, Volkszählungen, Verlassenschaften und Zunftbücher 1613-1900." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Stadtarchiv Wels (Wels City Archives).
 * Collection Citation:

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