Germany, Bavaria, Diocese of Augsburg, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Church records (parish registers, church books) are the main source of genealogical information in Germany before civil registration began in 1876. They record details of baptisms, marriages, confirmations, deaths and burials. Generally, the majority of the population can be found in the records. Additionally, these records can contain financial account books which may detail expenses incurred in performing marriages, funeral masses, etc., Lists of persons receiving communion, penance registers, lists of church members and registers naming members of each family.

It is important to know the religious affiliation of your ancestors as Catholic and Protestant parishes kept separate records. Catholic registers, especially the earliest volumes, are generally written in Latin. In many regions, it was also common for the local church records to function in the role of civil registrar.

What is in This Collection?
This collection has baptism, marriage, and burial records from the Catholic records from the Diocese of Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany from the years 1615 to 1939.

Alternative Websites
If image restrictions mean you cannot view the records at FamilySearch, you may be able to find the records at Matricula. Matricula is free and does not have restrictions on who can view their records.

Reading These Records
These records are written in German and Latin. For help reading these records see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * German Paleography Seminar

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Baptism
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Date of baptism
 * Name of child
 * Parents’ names
 * Gender
 * Witnesses or godparents

Marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Birth year or ages of bride and groom
 * Names of bride and groom’s parents

Death
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Residence
 * Cause of death
 * Parents’ names
 * Spouse’s name (if married)
 * Occupation of deceased

Collection Content
For more information about these records see Germany, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

Inventory
For a list of all the titles included in this Historical Records publication see Germany, Bavaria, Diocese of Augsburg, Catholic Church Records - Inventory.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know:
 * The name of the person you are searching for
 * The date or approximate date of birth, marriage, or death

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information to find your ancestors in censuses. These can help you find additional family members
 * Use the age in the record to find an approximate birth year, which will help you find a birth or death record.  Sometimes a person is buried in a city or town in which they did not die so it is not always accurate to assume that a burial place is the same as a death place
 * It may be helpful to look at civil registration information for additional information on birth, marriage, and death records
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found to find more generations of 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, either German Civil Registration records or German 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
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Germany.
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Germany Record Finder

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.

How Can I Contribute to the FamilySearch Wiki?
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