Germany, Prussia, West Prussia, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains church records of baptisms, marriages, and burials from Catholic and Evangelical churches in what was West Prussia.

Reading These Records
These records are written in German and Latin. For help reading these records see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Genealogical Word List
 * Germany Handwriting
 * Reading German Handwritten Records

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

Baptism
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Date of baptism
 * Name of child
 * Parents’ names
 * Gender
 * Witnesses or godparents

Marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Birth year or ages of bride and groom
 * Names of bride and groom’s parents

Death
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Residence
 * Cause of death
 * 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:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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
 * Be sure to check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if if provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only

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.