Netherlands, Limburg Parish Register Transcripts - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying a translation of the title in Dutch here.

Collection Time Period
The transcripts collection of parish registers from the Limburg Province covers the years 1600 to 1822.

Record Description
Most of the transcripts are arranged in alphabetical order and have been transcribed from parish registers. The alphabetizing rules used for names such as 'van BEUGEN' will be listed under B for Beugen. The transcript records start with a title page describing the place, church name, type of record, and dates that follows, and then comes the lists of names in alphabetical order. Some names may not have been transcribed exactly as in the original, so you may want to check the originals. The information is typewritten in the form of a spreadsheet.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in most parish records transcripts include:


 * Surnames and given names of principal
 * Names of parents
 * Names of witnesses
 * Date of the event

How to Use the Records
Church records are crucial for family history research prior to 1811 when civil registration was implemented. By using the family surnames and parents' names, you can compile family groups. Witnesses may be extended family members. In order to use these church parish transcripts you must know at least your ancestor’s surname and the place where he/she lived.

Record History
Some of the records were destroyed in wars and fires. As a result, government officials began collecting copies of some of the church records in the 1700s. Duplicate records were maintained by the parish priests prior to 1796. An abstract or transcription of most of these duplicates is housed in state archives. Some of these registers were also collected at the Diocesan Archive. In 1929, the government ordered that all pre-1811 records be sent to the state archives and most parishes complied with this new rule. Those registers deposited at the regional and municipal archives have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library for research.

Use the transcripts, where available, to supplement the original parish registers that are missing or illegible. Be aware that transcripts often differ slightly from the originals. The parish register transcripts include various towns in the Limburg Province, Netherlands.

Why This Record Was Created
Copies or duplicates of the parish records were used as Civil Registers.

Record Reliability
The parish register transcripts in the Netherlands are an excellent source for accurate information on names as well as dates and places of birth, marriages, and deaths. After 1811, it is also recommended to research the civil registration to verify and complement information. Between 1588 and 1795 the Dutch Reform Church was the state church, so it is also recommended to research those registers for those years.

Known Issues with This Collection
Problem: Why are there no death certificates for the town or municipality of Baarlo? Answer: The death records for the town or municipality of Baarlo are in the collection, but they are located at the end of the "Marriages (Bride)" records, starting with image 78. In the future, a link will be added for the Baarlo "Deaths" record type so that death records can be accessed directly.

If you encounter additional problems, feel free to report them at [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Web Sites
Regional Archives West Barbant

Genlias - A compilation of indexed civil records from the Netherlands, including some from Dutch colonies, mostly dating from 1811 until the mid-1900s. It is in Dutch, but has an option to view and search in English. While it is not complete as yet, it is extensive, with records still being added. Images for many of the indexed records on Genlias can be found in the collections on Familysearch.org.

Related Wiki Articles
Netherlands Church Records

Netherlands Church History

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of Information for This Collection:
"Netherlands, Limburg Parish Transcripts, 1600-1822", images, FamilySearch Record Search (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch); from the General Archive in Maastricht (Rijksarchief te Maastricht), Netherlands.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations for FamilySearch Historical Records Collections