How to Find Birth, Marriage, and Death Records for Hesse (Hessen), German Empire

Guide to Hesse (Hessen), German Empire ancestry, family history, and genealogy before 1945: birth records, marriage records, death records, both church and civil registration, compiled family history, and finding aids.

Finding Birth, Marriage, and Death Records for Hesse (Hessen)
'''Most of the information you need to identify you ancestors and their families will be found in two major record groups: civil registration and church records. To locate these records, follow the instructions in these Wiki articles.'''

1. Find the name of your ancestor's town in family history records.
Records were kept on the local level. You must know the town where your ancestor lived. If your ancestor was a United States Immigrant, use the information in the Wiki article Germany Finding Town of Origin to find evidence of the name of the town where your ancestors lived in Germany. Also, see:
 * Auswanderer-Nachweise Hessen State Archives
 * Auswandererkartei 1800-1900. Emigration card indexes for the Grandduchy of Hessen, Germany. Includes general indexes of Hessen and specific indexes which cover emigration from the modern districts of Dieburg, Bergstrasse and Erbach.
 * Auswanderungsakten, 1819-1880. Emigration records from Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany.

2. Use gazetteers and/or parish register inventories to learn more important details.
Your ancestor's town might have been too small to have its own parish church or civil registration office. Find the location of the Catholic or Lutheran (Evangelical) parish that served your ancestor's locality. Find the name of the civil registration office (Standesamt) that serves your ancestor's locality. Use the Wiki article Finding Aids For German Records for step-by-step instructions.

Germany was first unified as a nation in 1871. An important gazetteer, Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-lexikon des deutschen Reichs, "Meyer's Gazetter" for short, details the place names of villages, towns, counties (kreise), and higher jurisdictions used at that time. In the Research Wiki, FamilySearch Catalog, and FamilySearch Historical Records, the records of Germany are organized using those place names.

You can also consult Hesse (Hessen) Parish Register Inventories to learn the Lutheran or Catholic parish that would have kept records for your town.

At the end of both World Wars, the boundaries of the states were changed dramatically, as areas of Germany were distributed among the Allied nations. Eventually, after re-unification in 1990, the states of Germany settled into what they are today. It is also necessary to understand Germany by this system, as it affects the locations of civil registration offices, archives, and mailing addresses used in correspondence searches.

3. For birth, marriage, and death records 1803-1814, and after 1 January 1876, use civil registration.
Civil registration records are records of births, marriages, and deaths kept by the government. In Hesse (Hessen), they were 1 January 1876. In addition, Hessen kept civil registration between 1803 and 1815, during the Napoleonic occupation. If your family had a birth, marriage or death recorded during that brief time period, it will contain great information, due to the high level of detail in French records.'''

German terms for these records include Standesamtsregister, Zivilstandsregister, or Personenstandsregister. They are an excellent source for information on names and dates and places of births, marriages, and deaths. These records are kept by the civil registrar (Standesbeamte) at the civil registry office (Standesamt). Study these links to learn what information can be found in them:
 * Births (Geburtsregister)
 * Marriages (Heiraten, Ehen, or Trauungen)
 * Deaths (Sterberegister or Totenregister)

For a comprehensive understanding of civil registration, study the article Germany Civil Registration.

Determining the Location of a Civil Registration Office
Research your town name in MeyersGaz.org to find the location of the registry office (Standesamt). It is indicated by the abbreviation "StdA". This is the Standesamt location you will use when searching for civil registration records anywhere in the FamilySearch catalog and collections. Ancestry.com collections will also use this location name. Records in archives will use this location prior to the consolidation of registration offices in the 1970's.'''

'''However, some of the offices were merged in 1970's, so the modern record location might be different than that listed in MeyersGaz. When writing for records, first find the modern registrar for your town.'''
 * To find the current Standesamt, go to the German Wikipedia, and enter the name of the town in the search box. An article about the town will start with a first line such as: "Besse with about 3200 inhabitants is the largest district of the municipality Edermünde...." It is probable that the Standesamt is now located in the larger municipality (in this example, Edermünde).
 * For larger towns which constitute a municipality:
 * To find the current Standesamt, go to the German Wikipedia, and enter the name of the town in the search box.
 * This type of article will not state that the town belongs to another municipality, because it is itself a municipality.


 * To e-mail the municipality to verify that the civil registry for your town is there.
 * Consult this address list for the exact contact information, which should include an e-mail address: Standesamt.com. In the horizontal menu bar, hover over "+registry office" or "+Standesämter", then the name of the modern state, for a drop-down list of links to modern cilvil registrars.
 * Send a message asking whether you have the correct office for your ancestors' home town. You can also use e-mail to request records and arrange payment. Use the German Letter Writing Guide to write your questions in German.

Privacy Laws
Since 2009, birth records have been public after 110 years, marriages after 80 years and deaths after 30 years. A direct relationship (direct descendants and direct ancestors) to the subject of the record sought will be required in cases where the required time period has not yet elapsed. Even then, the records may be accessible if it can be shown that all "participating parties" have died at least 30 years ago. Participating parties are both parents and the child in birth records, and both spouses in a marriage.

1. Online Records
Digital copies of civil registration can be searched online. "Geburten" are births. Heiraten are marriages.  "Verstorbene" are deaths. All of the civil registration records for the modern state of Hesse (Hessen), for time periods that are public and not private, are available online.

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * 1600-1925 - at FamilySearch Historical Records, free, browsable images, incomplete. These records cover: Alzey, Oppenheim, and Osthhofen.
 * 1874-1927 - - at FamilySearch. Index and images.
 * These records for Offenbach city cover: Bieber, Bürgel, Offenbach am Main, and Rumpenheim.
 * Offenbach Stadt (city), Deutschland, Hessen, Standesbücher 1874-1927, index, incomplete.
 * These records for Offenbach county cover the towns in the county.
 * 1874-1927 - Offenbach Landkreis (county), Deutschland, Hessen, Standesbücher 1874-1927 at FamilySearch Historical Records, free, index, incomplete.
 * These records for Frankfurt cover: Frankfurt and these suburbs: Bergen, Bockenheim, Bonames, Bornheim, Eschersheim, Fechenheim, Hausen, Kalbach, Niederrad, Niederursel, Oberrad, Praunheim, Preungesheim, and Seckbach.
 * Germany, Hesse, Frankfurt, Civil Registration, 1811-1814, 1833-1928, partial index and images.
 * Germany, Hesse, Frankfurt, Civil Registration Deaths Indexes, 1928-1978, partial index and images.

Ancestry.com
'''Ancestry.com can be searched free of charge at your local Family History Center.
 * Hessen, Germany, Births, 1851-1901, index and images, ($).
 * Hessen, Germany, Marriages, 1849-1930, index and images, ($).
 * Hessen, Germany, Deaths, 1851-1955, index and images, ($).

B. Browsable Images: LAGIS
These records are digital images not indexes. '''There are many times when you will want to search the records this way. Indexes may contain errors and omissions. Search engines can be touchy and miss entries. It is wise to follow up in the original images to guard against those errors, check for entries that the indexer interpreted different than you would, and to fill in suspicious gaps in the records.'''


 * LAGIS Hessian Vital Records.
 * Enter Standesamt (civil registration office) name in the search box. This system will use the office used during the German Empire, not one of today's modern, consolidated ofices. The Standesamt is listed in Meyersgaz.org after the abbreviation "StdA".

C. Alzey-Worms and Mainz-Bingen
'''Ancestry.com can be searched free of charge at your local Family History Center.
 * These records for Mainz cover: Bretzenheim, Bretzenheim mit Zahlbach, Drais, Ebersheim, Finthen, Gonsenheim, Hechtsheim, Laubenheim, Mainz, Marienborn, Mombach, and Weisenau.
 * Mainz, Germany, Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1798-1875, index and images.
 * These records for Mainz cover: Bretzenheim, Drais, Ebersheim, Finthen, Gonsenheim, Hechtsheim, Laubenheim, Mainz, Marienborn, Mombach, and Weisenau.
 * Mainz, Germany, Birth Records, 1872-1900, index and images.
 * Mainz, Germany, Marriages, 1876-1920, index and images.
 * Mainz, Germany, Deaths, 1876-1950, index and images.
 * These records for Mainz cover Mainz, Mombach, and Jewish (Juden) records.
 * Mainz, Germany, Family Registers 1760-1900, index and images.
 * These records for Worms cover: Abenheim, Heppenheim, Hernsheim, Hochheim, Horchheim, Ibersheim, Lieselheim, Neuhausen, Pfeddersheim, Pfiffligheim, Rheindürkheim, Weinsheim, Weissoppenheim, and Worms.
 * Worms, Germany, civil status register, 1798-1875, index and images. ($).
 * Worms, Germany, birth register, 1876-1902, index and images. ($).
 * Worms, Germany, marriage register 1876-1923, index and images. ($).
 * Worms, Germany, death records, 1876-1950, index and images. ($).

2. Digital Copies of Civil Registration From FamilySearch
Try to find records in the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Many microfilms have been digitized for online viewing. Gradually, everything will be digitized, so check back occasionally. Some have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at the Family History Centers near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the of Germany, Hessen'''.
 * b. Click on Places within Germany, Hessen and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town. If the town or village is not listed, find the town in '''Meyer's Gazetteer. See where the Standesamt (StdA.) was. It may have been in different place, because of the size of the town. Use the town found in Meyer's Gazetteer, not the current, merged office.
 * d. Click on the "Civil registration" topic, if available. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Choose the correct record type and time period for your ancestor. "Geburten" are births. Heiraten are marriages.  "Verstorbene" are deaths.
 * f. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

3. Writing for Civil Registration Certificates
Civil registration records for Germany can be obtained by writing to the local civil registry (Standesamt) or the district archives. Records may have been lost at one location of the other, so you might end up checking both. The first office you contact might choose to forward your request to the other location if necessary.

Local Standesamt Addresses

 * '''Standesamt Addresses for Hesse (Hessen)

Archives
Hessian State Archives Darmstadt Karolinenplatz 3 64289 Darmstadt Germany

Tel .: +49 (0) 6151/16 262 57 E-mail: darmstadt@hla.hessen.de
 * User Instructions for Genealogy

Hessian State Archives Marburg Friedrichsplatz 15 35037 Marburg Germany

E-mail:marburg@hla.hessen.de
 * Website

Hessisches Main Archives and the Digital Archive Mosbacher Str. 55 65187 Wiesbaden Germany

Tel.: 0611 / 881-0 / Fax: 0611 / 881-145 E-mail Digital Archives: DigitalesArchiv@hla.hessen.de E-mail Main Archive: wiesbaden@hla.hessen.de
 * Website

How to Write the Letter
Detailed instruction for what to include in the letter, plus German translations of the questions and sentences most frequently used are in the German Letter Writing Guide.

4. For baptism, marriage, and death records, use church records or parish registers.
Church records (parish registers, church books) are an important source for genealogical research in Germany before civil registration began. They recorded details of baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. The vast majority of the population was mentioned. To learn more about the types of information you will find in church records, click on these links: For a comprehensive understanding of church records, study the article Germany Church Records.
 * Baptisms (Taufen)
 * Marriages (Heiraten)
 * Burials (Begräbnisse)
 * Confirmations (Konfirmationen)
 * Family Registers (Familienbücher)

Parish Register Inventories
The town name you found, might be a small village that had no church of its own. You might have to figure out where the people in that village went to a nearby larger town to attend a Catholic church, and yet a different town if they were Lutheran. There might be a Catholic church in the village, but the Lutherans had to travel to another town. A parish register inventory list the Evangelical Lutheran (Evangelische) and Catholic (Katholische) parish for each local town or village:.


 * Kirchenbücher und Standesregister für alle Wohnplätze im Land Hessen (1939), abbreviations on page 178. Also at FamilySearch Books.
 * Praetorius Kirchenbuecher 1939 is a parish inventory on GenWiki has an excellent list of towns in Hessen. A bold "e" indicates that the locality has its own Lutheran parish, as does a bold "k" indicate a Catholic parish.  The years for which records exist follow that. A lower case "e" (Evangelical or Lutheran) or "k" (Catholic) will be followed by the name of the parish that has records for a locality that did not have its own church.  For a full explanation of the abbreviations used, Click here.
 * Inventare der evangelischen Pfarrarchive im Großherzogtum Hessen : erste Hälfte
 * Kirchenbuchportal: See KB Kassel - Ev. Kirche von Kurhessen-Waldeck.

Ancestry.com ($)
'''Ancestry.com can be searched free of charge at your local Family History Center.
 * 1730-1875 - Hessen, Deutschland, evangelische Kirchenbücher, 1730-1875, index and images, ($). Covers only Giessen.

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * 1600-1925 - at FamilySearch Historical Records, free, browsable images, incomplete. These records cover: Alzey, Oppenheim, and Osthhofen.

2. Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Try to find records in the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Many microfilms have been digitized for online viewing. Gradually, everything will be digitized, so check back occasionally. Some have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the Places within Germany, Hessen.
 * b. Click on Places within Germany, Hessen and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Choose the correct record type and time period for your ancestor. "Geburten" are births. "Taufen" are christenings/baptisms. "Heiraten" are marriages.  "Tote" are deaths.
 * f. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

3. Research in Church and State Archives
Church records or duplicates may have been gathered from the local parishes into central archives, either by the churches or the state. Older records are frequently given to these archives for safekeeping. Some gaps in the church records of local parishes could be filled using these records.


 * [[Media:Localities.pdf|Pdf Archive Inventory]]: "Part 1 of 2: Church records in Archives" - is an inventory of localities and the location or archive where their records should be found. The sixth column, "Archives", gives a number. To find the name and contact information, look up that number in the second column of this .pdf:  [[Media:Archive_Add_.pdf|Part 2: Archive Addresses.]]  It is not clear how up-to-date this inventory is.

Some archives offer searches for a fee. Archives might be unable to handle genealogical requests, but they can determine whether they have specific records you need, sometimes perform very brief research, such as just one record, or they may recommend a researcher who can search the records for you. Archivists are required to speak English.

Writing to Archives

 * You can e-mail archives and ask whether they have records for a parish. Also, you should inquire whether they provide research services and what their fees are. You can communicate with the archives in English.
 * Use the the German Letter Writing Guide. Archivists must speak English, but even if you write the letter in English, this article will tell you how to organize the letter, how to phrase your requests, and what information to include.

Evangelical Lutheran (Protestant) Archives
National Church Archive of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck Landeskirchliches Archiv Kassel Lessingstraße 15 A 34119 Kassel Germany

Telephone: 0561-788 76-0 E-mail: archiv@ekkw.de
 * Website

Central Archive of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau Ahastraße 5a 64285 Darmstadt

Telephone: 06151-405-663 Email: zentralarchiv@ekhn-kv.de
 * Website

Catholic Archives
Hesse (Hessen) is in the Catholic Diocese of Mainz:

Mainz Cathedral and Diocesan Archives Heringsbrunnengasse 4B 55116 Mainz Germany

Telephone: 06131 253-157 Fax: 06131 253-807 E-mail: archiv@bistum-mainz.de
 * Website

State Archives
Hessian State Archives Darmstadt Karolinenplatz 3 64289 Darmstadt Germany

Tel .: +49 (0) 6151/16 262 57 E-mail: darmstadt@hla.hessen.de
 * User Instructions for Genealogy

Hessian State Archives Marburg Friedrichsplatz 15 35037 Marburg Germany

E-mail:marburg@hla.hessen.de
 * Website

Hessisches Main Archives and the Digital Archive Mosbacher Str. 55 65187 Wiesbaden Germany

Tel.: 0611 / 881-0 / Fax: 0611 / 881-145 E-mail Digital Archives: DigitalesArchiv@hla.hessen.de E-mail Main Archive: wiesbaden@hla.hessen.de
 * Website

4. Writing to a Local Priest for Church Records
Most church registers are still maintained by the parish. You might obtain information by writing to the parish. Parish employees will usually answer correspondence written in German. Your request may be forwarded if the records have been sent to a central repository.

Evangelical Lutheran (Protestant)

 * Towns search: Address list of the Protestant church

Catholic Addresses

 * The Catholic Directory for Germany

E-mail

 * Because many churches now have known e-mail addresses, you can quickly check whether the parish records are stored at the parish church or have been moved to archives. If possible, do this before sending a more detailed inquiry or any money. Links for church addresses are found on the wiki pages for the individual states and counties  of Germany.

Writing to a Local Parish
Write a brief request in German to the proper church using this address as a guide, replacing the information in parentheses:

For a Protestant Parish:


 * An das evangelische Pfarramt
 * (Insert street address, if known.)
 * (Postal Code) (Name of Locality)
 * GERMANY

For a Catholic Parish:


 * An das katholische Pfarramt
 * (Insert street address, if known.)
 * (Postal Code) (Name of Locality)
 * GERMANY


 * Click herefor postal code help for Germany.

How to Write a Letter
Detailed instruction for what to include in the letter, plus German translations of the questions and sentences most frequently used are in the German Letter Writing Guide.'''

Other Religious Groups
To learn how to determine the location of other religious records, namely Jewish, French Reformed, German Reformed, etc., watch Hansen’s Map Guides: Finding Records with Parish Maps beginning at 48:00 minutes, to learn how to locate these congregations. Then go back and watch from the beginning to understand how to use the reference book. Also, you can read Map Guide to German Parish Registers. This video and handout teach you how to use a set of reference books found at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you are not in Salt Lake City, use the Contact Us feature to request information from the books.

Town Genealogies (Ortssippenbuch or Ortsfamilienbuch)
See the class,, and Wiki article, Germany Town Genealogies and Parish Register Inventories on the Internet. Published town genealogies, Ortssippenbuch (town lineage book) or Ortsfamilienbuch (town family book), generally include birth, marriage, and death data for all persons found in the local records during a specified time period, compiled into families based on the opinion of the author. 'If one is available, it should only be used as an index or guide'' to finding the original records. They usually contain errors. Always verify their information in original records.

Reading the Records

 * It's easier than you think! You do not have to be fluent in French and German to use these records, as there is only a limited vocabulary used in them. By learning a few key phrases, you will be able to read them adequately.  Here are some resources for learning to read German records.
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * French Genealogical Word List
 * Latin Genealogical Word List


 * These video webinars will teach you to read German handwriting:
 * Old German Script Part 1
 * Old German Script Part 2
 * Old German Script (German Church and Civil Records) Part 3
 * Reading German Handwritten Records  (Three parts) Practice exercises to build your skills and confidence.
 * German Script Tutorial


 * List of Names in Old German Script A comprehensive list of German given names,  written in old script, with possible variations.
 * Old German Script Transcriber (alte deutsche Handschriften): See your family names in the script of the era. Type your name or other word into the font generator tool. Click on the 8 different fonts. Save the image to your computer and use it as you work with old Germanic records.

Downloadable Handouts

 * Print these handouts for ready reference when reading German Handwriting:
 * Kurrent Letters Handout
 * Numbers Handout
 * Birth Records Handout
 * Marriage Records Handout
 * Death Records Handout
 * Days and Months Handout
 * Common Symbols Handout
 * Common Abbreviations Handout
 * Fraktur Font--Many forms and books are printed in this font.

Latin Records
Records of the Catholic church will usually be written in Latin:
 * Latin Genealogical Word List

Feast Dates

 * Calendar Changes in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Low Countries--class
 * Each day of the year had several patron saints and was a feast day to honor those saints. Some vital events are recorded in church records only by the holy day (feast day) on the church calendar. For example, the feast day called “All Saints Day” (Allerheiligentag) is “1 November.” An online feast date calculator may be found at the Albion College website. Simply enter the year and click "Calculate."

Search Strategy

 * Search for the relative or ancestor you selected. When you find their birth record, search for the births of their brothers and sisters.
 * Next, search for the marriage of their parents. The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents.
 * Search the death registers for all known family members.
 * The marriage certificate will show the birth date, birth place, and parents of the bride and the groom. If you only have a church marriage records, calculate the birth date of the parents, using age at death and/or marriage to search for their birth records.
 * Repeat this process for both the father and the mother, starting with their birth records, then their siblings' births, then their parents' marriages, and so on.
 * If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.