Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Netherlands

This collection includes indexed records from across the Netherlands. The records are of many types, including church and civil registration records.

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
This collection includes indexed records from across the Netherlands. This collection contains records of birth, marriage, and death. For an index to other records see Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Public Records and Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Vital Records.

What Is in This Collection?
The data in this index was contributed from many archives around the Netherlands. The collection continues to grow as records become available. The indexes were originally collected, combined, and published by OpenArchives. For the entire index collection and more information visit OpenArchives.

This collection contains records of many types. Some of the more common include:
 * Civil registration
 * Church registers
 * Emigration lists
 * Military registers
 * Land and tax registers

Language Help
In this collection, some index entries may include the following Dutch terms: These normally occur in place of an individual's given name. None of these terms should ever be considered an actual name.
 * onbekend, "unknown"
 * levenloos, "stillborn"
 * een levenloos zoon, "stillborn son"
 * een levenloze dochter, "stillborn daughter"
 * weduwe van, "widow of"
 * de vrouw van, "the wife of"
 * twee kinderen van, "two children of"
 * zijn jonggeb kind, "his young child"

For help with other common terms in Dutch records, please see the Dutch Genealogical Word List.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following lists indicate potential information provided in civil registration indexes. Civil registration records are the most common records in this collection. For other record types, it is to be expected that any given record will provide basic information, such as date, place, and the name of the individual in question.

Coverage Table
For a list of the archives which have contributed to this collection, please see OpenArchives' page showing the number of individual entries.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know the following information: As you search, compare your results with this information to find a match.
 * Name of the person
 * Date range for the record

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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Copy down all the information from the record detail on the results page
 * Cite the record. See below for help citing this collection
 * OpenArchive may have more information about the record or may even lead you to a record image. To visit this site, click on the "Visit Partner Site" button to the right of the record detail
 * Family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage. Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived nearby
 * Use the information you have found to find more. For instance, use the age listed in a record to estimate a year of birth

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900
 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records
 * Check for variants of given names and surnames. An individual might have been listed under a middle name, nickname, or abbreviation of their given name. Some women may also have returned to their maiden name after the death of their husband
 * Vary the search terms. For example, expand the date range or search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches
 * Search the records of nearby areas. While most people in this period never lived too far away from their place of birth, it was not uncommon for someone to move several times over the course of a lifetime

For additional help searching online collections see FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

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

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.