Czechia Civil Registration

Offices to Contact

 * Location: Municipal and subdistrict vital records offices [matriční úřady].
 * Accessibility: Some information can be obtained by correspondence or by visiting the vital records offices in person.
 * Use the Czech Republic Letter Writing Guide for help with writing for records.
 * A few records are online:, images only at FamilySearch Historical Records.

Historical Background

 * During the time of Austrian rule there were a few civil registers started in 1870 to record those of dissident faiths or to record the baptisms of children of mixed marriages but these are still categorized as church registers.
 * Another law in 1885 allowed for the recording of mixed marriages and children of mixed marriages to be recorded in quasi civil registers by local civil officials.
 * In 1921 registration by civil authorities was enacted into law throughout the new Czechoslovak Republic.

Civil Registration [Civilní matriky]

Births

 * Name of child
 * Date of entry
 * Place and date of birth
 * Names, ages and residence of parents, until 1948, also the religion of parents
 * Names of witnesses

Marriages

 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names
 * Occupations
 * Dates and places of birth and residences of groom and bride
 * Names and residences of parents and witnesses
 * Until 1948, also the religion

Deaths

 * Name
 * Occupation
 * Residence and age of the deceased
 * Dates of death and entry
 * Names of surviving spouse and parents
 * Place and cause of death
 * Until 1948, also the religion