Zwolle, Overijssel

Netherlands Overijssel

Guide to  ancestry, genealogy and family history birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Zwolle is a city and municipality in Overijssel. It is the capital city, and was historically the largest city. It is located on the IJssel river, near the mouth, in the north west part of the province. In 1967 it absorbed the former municipality Zwollerkerspel.

The municpality includes Zwolle, Windesheim, Brinkhoek, Bruggenhoek, Frankhuis, Haerst, Harculo, Herfte, Hoog Zuthem, Katerveer, Langenholte, De Lichtmis, Oldeneel, Schelle, Spoolde, Veldhoek, Wijthmen and Zalné

Church Records for Zwolle
Many different religions existed in Zwolle before 1811. Dutch Reformed, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Jewish, Wallonia Reformed and Mennonite(Doopsgezinde)

Dutch Reformed Church
Van Papier Naar Digitaal (VPND) and Historisch Centrum Overijssel are the two main sites for pre-1811 genealogical research in the Netherlands.

There were three Dutch reformed Churches in Zwolle. The Bethlehem Kerk, the Broerenkerk and the St Michiel's(or Grote) kerk. They shared registers, except for the Broerenkerk for baptisms between 1774 and 1794. Every marriage in Zwolle had to be registered at the Dutch Reformed Church regardless of the religion of the bride and groom.

Roman Catholic Church
There were 4 Roman Catholic parishes in Zwolle. Catholics formed about 20% of the population. Most Catholics would have been buried in the Dutch Reformed Church, and would have had to marry in the Dutch Reformed Church as well as in their Catholic parish.

Minorities
Records for Lutherans, Mennonites and Wallonia Reformed(Heugenots) can be accessed on VPND alongside the Dutch Reformed Records. Records for Jews can be acessed on the Zoekakten Zwolle Page

Church Records for Zwollerkerspel
Windesheim had a Dutch Reformed Church. It's records can be acessed through VPND or the Historisch Centrum Overijssel.