Netherlands, Limburg Parish Register Transcripts - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
This Collection will include records from 1562 to 1822. These parish register transcripts include various towns in Limburg Province, Netherlands.

Most of the transcripts are arranged in alphabetical order and have been transcribed from parish registers. Some names may not have been transcribed exactly as in the original, so you may want to check the originals. The information is typewritten in the form of a spreadsheet.

The transcript records start with a title page describing the place, church name, type of record, and dates of the following records. The names are then listed in alphabetical order. The alphabetizing rules used mean that names such as 'van BEUGEN' will be listed under B for 'Beugen.'

Some records were destroyed in wars and fires. As a result, government officials began collecting copies of some of the church records in the 1700s. Copies or duplicates of the parish records were used as Civil Registers. Duplicate records were maintained by the parish priests prior to 1796. An abstract or transcription of most of these duplicates is housed in state archives. Some of these registers were also collected at the Diocesan Archive. In 1929, the government ordered that all pre-1811 records be sent to the state archives and most parishes complied with this new rule. Those registers deposited at the regional and municipal archives have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library for research.

The parish register transcripts in the Netherlands are an excellent source for accurate information on names as well as dates and places of birth, marriages, and deaths. After 1811, it is also recommended to research the civil registration to verify and complement information. Between 1588 and 1795, the Dutch Reform Church was the state church, so it is also recommended to research those registers for those years.

For more information about the history, content, and use of these records see the wiki article Netherlands Church Records.

Use the transcripts, where available, to supplement the original parish registers, especially when originals are missing or illegible. Be aware that transcripts often differ slightly from the originals.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

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How Do I Search the Collection?
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⇒Select the appropriate “Town/Municipality” ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type" ⇒Select the appropriate “Year Range or Alphabetical Sequence" which will take you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the age in the citizen 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 indexes 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 Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or 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.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

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Citing this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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