Germany, Bavaria, Diocese of Augsburg, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection has baptism, marriage, and burial records from the Catholic records from the Diocese of Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany from the years 1615 to 1939.

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.

Alternative Websites
If image restrictions mean you cannot view the records at FamilySearch, you may be able to find the records at Matricula. Matricula is free and does not have restrictions on who can view their records.

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
 * German Paleography Seminar

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

Collection Content
For more information about these records see Germany, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

Inventory
For a list of all the titles included in this Historical Records publication see Germany, Bavaria, Diocese of Augsburg, Catholic Church Records - Inventory.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is best to know:
 * The name of the person you are searching for
 * The date or approximate date of birth, marriage, or death

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it 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?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century
 * See Germany Civil Registration for additional information on locating birth, marriage, and death records

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.

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