Austria Land and Property

Land and tenancy records (Grundbücher und Prästationstabellen)
Research use: Early records predate parish registers. Verify existence of a person as an adult (in cases where death records do not exist). Names and ages of family members are sometimes listed for tenants. Useful linkage source. Sometimes two or more generations are listed.

Record type: Declarations of land ownership, tenancy and purchase agreements.

Time Period: 1200-present.

Content: Names of land holders and renters, taxes and rent paid, dates of deeds, residence, description of land, names of fathers and sometimes of several generations of ancestors; date and mode of land acquisition (from a parent or grandparent, by dowry, or partage (division).

Location: City archives, state archives, courthouses.

Population coverage: 15%.