Belgium Notarial Records

Court and notarial records (Rechterlijke en notariële akten, Archives Judiciaires et registres notariaux)
Research use: Excellent linkage source. Records show vital information for individuals, families and relatives. Records are the best back up source for church records when years are missing.

Record type: Records of local courts regarding wills, contracts, marriages, inheritance, sale and transfer of property, annuities, mortgages, declarations of legal age, alderman and orphan’s chamber records.

Time Period: 1300-present.

Contents: Wills, codicils, probates:  Testator’s names, heirs, witnesses, residences, dates, property descriptions, distributions, signatures. Marriage contracts: names, relatives, witnesses, dates, conditions, properties, signatures. Divisions of estates and deeds: heirs, sellers, buyers, witnesses, officials, residences, property descriptions, guardianship assignments for orphans, apprenticeships. Alderman records:  court actions, civil marriages, sureties, annuities, mortgages, powers of attorney, names, dates of events, witnesses, relationships. Orphan’s chamber: Will abstracts, authorizations, prospective guardians, acceptances, appointments, orphans’ names, parents, relatives, guardians, ages, residences.

Location: Provincial, state, city, municipality archives.

Population coverage: 40%.