Belgium, West Flanders, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
West Flanders (Dutch: West Vlaanderen, French: Flandre Occidentaale) is the most western province of the Flanders region. The collection consists of civil registration of births, marriages and deaths from the Belgian National Archives. The collection also includes marriage proclamations, marriage supplements, and some original indexes. Additional images will be added as they become available. The events are recorded in Dutch, Flemish, or French and cover the years 1582 to 1910.

Reading These Records
These records are written in French and Dutch. For help reading these records see the following:
 * Belgium Language and Languages
 * France Language and Languages
 * French Handwriting or Netherlands Handwriting
 * Dutch Genealogical Word List

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information in these records usually include the following:

Birth
 * Birth date and place of birth
 * Name of child
 * If still-born, illegitimate, or twin
 * Gender
 * Names of parents, father's occupation and their residence
 * Birth place of father
 * Birth place of mother
 * Date and number of record

Marriage
 * Date and Place of Event
 * Name of Bride and Groom
 * Residence, Marital Status, and Age
 * Names of Parents
 * Names of Witnesses

Death
 * Date and Place of Death
 * Name of Deceased Person
 * Age or Birth Date
 * Residence Place and sometimes the Place of Origin
 * Cause of Death
 * Marital Status
 * If Married, the Name of the Spouse and sometimes the Names of Children
 * Sometimes Names of Parents
 * Names of Witnesses

Collection Content
For information on the content and use of these records, please see the wiki article Belgium, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Place
 * 2) Select Record Type and Years to view the images

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?

 * Use the age in the citizen to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved, been recruited or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records in the country
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors

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

 * Consult the Belgium Record Finder to find other records
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, one or the other collection may be more helpful
 * 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
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies

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