Germany, Prussia, Westphalia, Minden, Miscellaneous Collections from the Municipal Archives - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Deutschland, Westfalen, Minden Bürgerrollen 1574-1902

Collection Time Period
This collection of records from the city of Minden includes index and images of citizenship rolls and naturalization for the years 1574 to 1850, population registers for the years 1882-1902, and census records that enumerated citizens for the years 1880-1900.

Record Description
This collection of records from the city of Minden includes index and images of citizenship rolls, population registers, and census records that enumerated citizens over three centuries, 1574-1902. The information is handwritten horizontally through both pages of columns filling in the information as in a ledger type format.

To keep a record of their population, household heads were called to assemble at the local civil office, almost yearly, to provide their personal information, which was counted as a basic unit. This listing is called “volkszahlung”, local population census.

They also kept a similar register listing all the citizens that moved away to other localities. This register was called “abmeldungen”, relocation list of their citizens or cancellation list from the citizenship roll of that locality.

These procedures were not enforced, but head of households were admonished to do so. Therefore, these records may not cover the entire population.

The original records are preserved at the German State Archives in Schwerin. The Family History Library has copies on microfilm also.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most local population census lists are:






 * Address
 * Full name
 * Occupation
 * Birth date
 * Religion
 * Birth place
 * Nationality

How to Use the Record
Next to parish registers, census records provide good family information, which could be used to research in other vital records. You must know how to read German Gothic script. You also need to know at least the name of your ancestor and the approximate place of residence at the time of the census.

Why the Record Was Created
The census was taken to assess military and taxation capacity, as well as for religious, occupational, and language background.

Record Reliability
This census collection is a reliable source of information for genealogical purposes; however, it is dependent upon the knowledge of the informant and the way it was written by the civil officer.

Related Websites
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Related Wiki Articles

 * Germany
 * Germany Census
 * German Census Records

Citations for This Collection
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Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
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Citation Example for Records Found in FamilySearch Historical Collections
The following are examples of records found in different collections. Please help us by replacing these examples with a citation for a record you have found in this collection.


 * "Delaware Marriage Records," index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org): accessed 4 March 2011, entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org): accessed 21 March 2011, entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

When the citation has been replaced with a citation specific to the collection described, please change the heading to "Citation Example for Records Found in This Collection".