Netherlands Archives and Libraries

Netherlands Online Genealogy Records

In the Netherlands there are five major types of genealogical repositories:
 * Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
 * If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
 * Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the Family History Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.


 * State (national and provincial) archives.
 * Regional and municipal archives.
 * Royal and Nobility archives
 * Church archives.
 * Church parish offices.
 * Historical and genealogical societies.

Archives
What can I find at the National Archives and what can I find elsewhere?
 * In the National Archives, you will find the archives of the national government, such as the archives of the ministries and of the Senate and House of Representatives. In addition, the National Archives stores archives that are important to the history of the Netherlands, such as the archives of the VOC and the WIC, but also the archive of the KNVB.
 * Furthermore, the National Archives is the regional archive of the province of South Holland. For example, the court archives of South Holland are located here.
 * Each province in the Netherlands has its own provincial archive: the Regional Historical Centers (RHCs). Here are the archives that are important at a regional level. Think of the archives of the province, the court archives and the archives of the Chamber of Commerce.
 * For local history, you can go to the city and regional archives. Think of the Amsterdam city archive and the Eemland archive. Here, for example, are the archives of the municipal authorities, the notarial archives and the archives of important families from the city or region.

Nationaal Archief (National Archive)
The address of the National Archive (Nationaal Archief) is: Nationaal Archief Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 20 2595 BE 's-Gravenhage The Netherlands Mailing Address:
 * Postbus 90520 2509 LM ’s-Gravenhage The Netherlands

Telephone: 070-331-5400 (general information) 070-331-5444 (information concerning the holdings) Fax: 070-331 5499 E-mail: info@nationaalarchief.nl Website Search Aids

Regional and Municipal Archives

 * The provincial archives are located in the capital of each of the 12 provinces.
 * Municipal archives exist for most large towns. They contain the same type of genealogical records found in the state archives.
 * The Family History Library has microfilmed many records from these archives.
 * Each archive collects records from its respective province. Records of genealogical value at these archives include:

'''These links lead to a Wiki article for each provincial archive. Addresses, information on available index, and links to digitized records are explained.'''

Royal and Nobility Archives
Koninklijk Huisarchief Address: Paleis Noordeinde, Den Haag (Via Paleistuin, Prinsessewal) Postal address: Postbus 30412, 2500 GK Den Haag tel.: (070)362-47-01 (070)362-47-01 fax.: (070)365-93-48 e-mail: koninklijk.huisarchief@dkh.nl Opening hours: Monday - Friday by telephone appointment Closed regular holidays as well as 31 January How to get there: From train station HS: tram 8 or bus 5, train station CS: tram 7 or bus 4 (stop Mauritskade) Services provided: In the Royal House Archive are the personal records found of the members of the House of Nassau and Orange Nassau from the 13th century till the present.

Hoge Raad van Adel Address: Nassaulaan 2-B, 2514 JS Den Haag Postal address: Postbus 16325, 2500 BH Den Haag tel.: (070)361-42-81 (070)361-42-81 fax.: (070)363-17-12 e-mail: info@hogeraadvanadel.nl Web-site: Court of Nobility Opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.30 - 16.30 uur Services provided: Advising of the Crown concerning nobility issues, gevornment heraldry, some name changes and military emblems; advising of lower public judicial bodies concerning flags; advising of corporations and privat persons concerning genealogy and heraldry.

Church Archives
There are archives for all of the major churches of the country. The largest are discussed below.

Roman Catholic Church. One of the largest archives of the Roman Catholic church are found in the Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen, Gelderland, Nederland. The web-site for this Katholiek Documentatie Centrum (Catholic Documentation Center) archive is: Documentatie Centrum (KDC)

Archives exist for each of the dioceses of:


 * Breda Bisdom Breda
 * Groningen-Leeuwarden Bisdom Groningen-Leeuwarden
 * Haarlem Bisdom Haarlem
 * ’s-Hertogenbosch Bisdom Den Bosch
 * Roermond Bisdom Roermond
 * Rotterdam Bisdom Rotterdam
 * Utrecht Aartsbisdom Utrecht

Dutch Reformed Church.

Web-site for the Protestant Churches in the Netherlands Protestantse Kerk in Nederland

The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest protestant church in the Netherlands in terms of membership. It is the continuation of three former churches, the Netherlands Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it exists as from May 1st, 2004.

The address for the Commission of Archives is: Commissie voor de Archieven der Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk Overgoo 11 Postbus 405 2260 AK Leidschendam The Netherlands

See the “Church Records” section for more information.

Church Parish Offices
Church records after 1811 are usually kept by the local parish, which may also have earlier records. It is possible to write to local parishes and church archives for information. See the “Church Records” section for additional help.

Historical and Genealogical Societies
In the Netherlands there are many organized historical and genealogical societies. Many societies maintain libraries and/or archives that collect valuable records. For more information, including addresses of some societies, see the “Societies” section.

The following is a helpful directory of Dutch archive addresses:


 * Koninklijke Vereniging van Archivarissen in Nederland. Almanak van het Nederlands Archiefwezen (Almanac of Addresses and Personnel of Dutch Archives). ’s-Gravenhage: De Vereniging, 1992. (FHL book Ref 949.2J54k.)

Information about archives may also be obtained online. The following web site gives addresses, opening times, and details about their holdings:


 * www.archiefnet.nl

Some of the sites found there are:
 * Archiefcentrum (NRAC)
 * Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden (HCL)
 * Het Drents verleden in beeld (Historical Drenthe in pictures)
 * Overlijdensakten Drentse oorlogsslachtoffers online (Drenthes World War II victims)
 * Historisch Centrum Overijssel (Historical Center Overijssel)
 * Oudheidkundige Vereniging "Herderewich" (Antiquarian Society of Harderwijk)

Inventories, Registers, and Catalogs
Most archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these resources before you visit, or use them during your visit so you can use your time more effectively. A helpful survey of the holdings of the General State Archives and state archives is:


 * Pirenne, L. P. L., ed. De Rijksarchieven in Nederland (The State Archives in the Netherlands). ’s-Gravenhage: Staatsuit- geverij, 1973. (FHL book 949.2 A3pi.)

This guide is available at the Family History Library, at your public or university library, or through interlibrary loan.

The Family History Library has copies of many published inventories and other guides, catalogs, and directories from other archives and libraries. These types of records are listed in the Place search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

NETHERLANDS – ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

NETHERLANDS, [PROVINCE] – ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

NETHERLANDS, [PROVINCE], [TOWN] –

ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

Websites

 * Archivenet, website for the Dutch archive system]. If searching for a specific locality, click on “Nederland” in the top left and choose either “plaats” (place) or “provincie” (province). Click on the locality in which you want to search, and a list of all the archives, by type and town, comes up with automatic links.English is available for
 * Surname Navigator The Netherlands. Megasearch engines by province.
 * — index
 * , index.
 * Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on archival material from Netherlands as well as information on archival institutions throughout the European continent.
 * FamilySearch Historical Record Collection for the Netherlands has church records (pre-1811) and civil registration (post-1796/1811).
 * WieWasWie -Major site containing most civil registration records, and some population registers, church records, newspapers and military records
 * Using the Dutch Website: WieWasWie
 * WieWasWie, Past the index: What to do next
 * Dutch Research Before 1811
 * Openarch Similar to WieWasWie but with slightly more records. A small portion of its records can be searched in the collections and, index.
 * OpenArch.nl Website: Four Lessons
 * GeneaKnowHow A site that collates many different online resources for the Netherlands, and includes their subsidary VPND who makes images and indexes of various records, especially Church Records, available online.