Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, Diocese of Münster, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Catholic church records from the Diocese of Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

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

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

Baptism
 * Child's name
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Names of parents
 * Names of godparents
 * Residence

Marriage
 * Names of the bridal couple
 * Ages
 * Names of father or both parents
 * Date and place of marriage

Burial
 * Name of deceased
 * Age or date of birth
 * Residence
 * Name of spouse or parents

Inventory
For a list of all the titles included in this Historical Records publication see Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, Diocese of Münster, Catholic Church Records - Inventory.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if if provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in North Rhine-Westphalia, 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.