Germany, Baden, Archdiocese of Freiburg im Breisgau, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
Church records (parish registers, church books) are the main source of genealogical information in Germany before civil registration began in 1876. They record details of baptisms, marriages, confirmations, deaths and burials. Generally, the majority of the population can be found in the records. Additionally, these records can contain financial account books which may detail expenses incurred in performing marriages, funeral masses, etc., Lists of persons receiving communion, penance registers, lists of church members and registers naming members of each family.

It is important to know the religious affiliation of your ancestors as Catholic and Protestant parishes kept separate records. Catholic registers, especially the earliest volumes, are generally written in Latin. In many regions, it was also common for the local church records to function in the role of civil registrar.

What is in This Collection?
This collection has Catholic church records of baptism, marriage, and death from the Archdiocese of Freiburg im Beisgau, Baden, Germany. A map of the diocese with contact information for each deanery can be found at Erzbistum Freiburg - Diözesankarte.

Reading These Records
For help reading these German records see the following guides:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading German Handwritten Records

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

Birth
 * Date of birth
 * Name of child
 * Parents’ names (including mother’s maiden name)
 * Gender
 * Witnesses or godparents

Marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Names of bride and groom’s parents
 * Age of bride and groom
 * Birth year of bride and groom

Death
 * Date of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Parents’ names
 * Spouse’s name (if married)
 * Occupation of deceased

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's name
 * Town or province of residence
 * Age or birth date
 * Names of family members

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.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information to find your ancestors in censuses. These can help you find additional family members
 * Use the age in the record to find an approximate birth year, which will help you find a birth or death record.  Sometimes a person is buried in a city or town in which they did not die so it is not always accurate to assume that a burial place is the same as a death place
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found to find more generations of the family

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

 * 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
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies

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