Czech Republic Land Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Tschechische Republik, Landurkunden 1450-1850

Collection Time Period
This collection of land records cover the years 1450-1850.

Record Description
Czech land books include declarations of land ownership, land transfers, and land inheritances. The Czech name of land records has varied over time; however, the records listed in this collection are named gruntovní knihy. These books initially were kept at the landholder level, then at village level, farm level, and finally by a district administrator and his scribe. Land registers are written mostly in German, with some in Czech.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most of these land records include:


 * A list of serfs with land rights, including their ages and type of obligations toward the estate owner
 * Residences and often relationship to previous landholder
 * Lists of all the inhabitants of the estate, testaments, debts, orphan matters, mortgages, marriage contracts, inheritance, and other matters
 * Changes in ownership of properties, succession of farmstead holders, prices and payments of property and goods

How to Use the Record
These records can enhance the effective use of church records. They establish residence, ages, and relationships, which are valuable for pedigree links or when other records are not available.

Record History
The land books [pozemkové knihy] recorded landholders and land lease titles; they date from about 1600. The oldest land books [pozemkové knihy] listed the location of the property along with the financial obligations of the landholder to the estate owner. Buildings on these lands were often listed by type in land books (cottage, blacksmith’s forge etc). Starting in the mid 1600s, some records began differentiating by categories of farmers. These categories were:


 * Sedlak -- serfs who did not own their land
 * Chalupnik -- gardeners who owned their domicile and a small amount of land surrounding it
 * Zharadnik -- cottagers who owned somewhat larger tracts of land

Another interesting fact about the land registers is that holders sometimes abandoned farmsteads and moved to another locality. In general, they left to escape high debt, but mostly because of drudgery or oppression. The Thirty Years' War killed many people. Everyone tried to get more land, and the gardener and serf classes decreased. Land registers are in the custody of Regional State Archives.

Record Reliability
The completeness of these records depended on the talents and inclination of the record keeper.

Related Websites
''This section of the article is incomplete. You can help FamilySearch Wiki by supplying links to related websites here.''

Related Wiki Articles

 * Czech Republic Land and Property
 * Czech Republic Parish Finder

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also 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
Czech Republic. Land Records, 1450-1850. Regional Archive of Opava, Opava, Czech Republic.