Austria Evangelical-Lutheran Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Österreich, Wien, Evangelische Kirchenurkunden,1848-1900

Collection Time Period
This collection of church records from the Luthern churches in Vienna covers the years 1848 to 1900.

Record Description
These church book records are duplicates from the Luthern Church of Vienna, Austria. The collection includes records such as: Taufen (baptism), Trauungen (marriage), Sterben (death or burial), Toten (death or burial), Taufregister (baptismal index), Trauungsregister (marriage index), and Sterberegister (death or burial index). The text of the records is in German. In the “Description,” a two-letter abbreviation is listed (either AB or HB). AB refers to Evangelisch (Luthern). HB refers to Evangelisch Reformiert (Reformed Luthern(Swiss)). In the records, the abbreviation AB follows the city name.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most birth or baptism records include the following information:




 * Names of the child, parents, and witnesses or godparents
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date of baptism
 * Sometimes the time of birth and baptism
 * House number where the event occurred
 * Residence and religion of the parents
 * Occupations of the father and other males listed in the record
 * Whether the child was legitimate or illegitimate

How to Use the Records
Use these Austrian church records to identify ancestors and make family connections in pedigrees.

Record History
There are two different Evangelical churches in Austria. One belongs to the Lutheran tradition and is called the Luthern Church A.B. (Augsburg Confession); the other one is part of the Reformed Luthern Tradition and is marked by the label, H.B. (Helvetic, meaning the Swiss Confession). The combined membership of the Luthern churches in Austria make up close to 5% of the total Austrian population. The Lutheran Church has approximately 356,500 members; the Reformed Lutheran Church has approximately 19,500 members.

The church books stored at the archive in Vienna are duplicates of the originals. The originals are still in parishes around the country. Often the originals include records for earlier years than the duplicates because the order to duplicate the church books was not given until 1848.

Why the Record Was Created
Church records were created to record church sacraments associated with the life events of the parishioners, such as baptism, marriage, and burial.

Record Reliability
This collection of church books is a reliable and accurate source for genealogical research. Accuracy in the records for such information as dates, ages, and places is dependent upon the accuracy of the person giving the information and the accuracy of the recording by the ecclesiastical officer.

Related Websites
Evangelical Church in Austria

Related Wiki Articles
Austrian Church Records Online

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of Information for This Collection:
Pfarrmatrikeln-Duplikate 1848-1900. Evangelische Kirche Österreich Kirchenamt AB, Wien, Austria.

The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.