Germany, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Censuses - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of census records pertains to the census of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin conducted in 1867, 1890, and 1900. Mecklenburg censuses were conducted intermittently from 1636 to 1939. A census of citizens of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was collected as of 2/3 December 1867. Authorized enumerators went from house to house in their appointed areas, recording in a “household list” of each person who was present at the time in the apartment or house. Household members who were not physically present at the time of the census were recorded in an addendum. The following information was recorded about each person: first and last name, gender, year of birth, religious affiliation, marital status, occupation or social standing, citizenship, the reason why visitors were in the census area, and distinguishing physical characteristics. Based on the 1867 census, the population of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was determined to be 560,668. Of those, 193,882 people lived in the cities.

A name index and images for a portion of The 1890 census consist of a name index arranged by towns under their enumeration district. The district could be a Ritteramt (R.A.), Domänenamt (D.A.), Klosteramt (K.A.) or Stadt. Two types of forms are found for each town: Zählkarten and Haushaltungslisten. The Zählkarten list individuals and give the date and place of birth, occupation, residence, gender and marital status, etc. The Haushaltungslisten list the inhabitants of a given household and show relationship to the head of the household. Most of the census did not survive. The 1900 census consist of two forms: the individual forms (Zählkarten), which list information about each person, and the household lists (Haushaltungslisten), which identify the members of a family and their relationship to the head of household; both forms are filed by place. These places are then arranged alphabetically by each manorial district or city (Ritteramt, Domänenamt, Klosteramt, Stadt). The censuses cover territory controlled by the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. For the 1900 census, takers went to each house in each of the 2,559 districts and recorded all the inhabitants as of December 1, 1900, therefore covering about 95 to 98 percent of the population living in Mecklenburg-Schwerin in December of 1900.

Reading These Records
These records are written in German. For help reading them see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
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 * German Paleography Seminar

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

Individual Census
 * Enumeration district
 * Full name and gender
 * Birth date and place
 * Marital status
 * Place of residence
 * Occupation
 * Religion

Household Census
 * Household number and street address
 * Name of head of household
 * Full names of all members of household
 * Relationship to head of household

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
 * Use the age to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved, been recruited or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records in the country
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

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

 * Consult the Germany Record Finder to find other records
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either German Civil Registration records or German Church records may be more useful
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Germany.
 * 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.

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