Netherlands, Noord-Brabant Province Population Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
This Collection will include records from 1820 to 1930.

The population register was introduced in 1850 to keep track of families as they moved from one residence to another, although some localities began recording moves as early as 1820. It contained much the same information as the earlier censuses but added changes of address, occupations, birth, death, and marriage dates, and immigration information. With all the changes, pages could get messy, so it was necessary to close some of the registers and start new ones.

The 1850 register entries were based on information gathered from the census taken November 19, 1849. From 1850 to 1920, the records were kept in bound registers that were sorted by addresses. Around 1920, the bound registers were phased out and replaced by a loose-leaf system known as family cards (gezinskaarten). These cards were organized by family name and were used until 1940 when a new system came into effect. As individuals died, their cards or printouts were sent to the Central Offices for Statistics.

Because of all the copying and changing, the population registers contain a lot of errors; however, they do contain a lot of information not easily found elsewhere. Information found in these registers should always be checked against vital or church records. Population registers are an important source of genealogical information. They may contain complete families, addresses, dates, occupations, and other important remarks listed by the magistrates. To find a family in this collection, it is usually necessary to know the place where the family lived and the family surname.

Sample Images
Click on images for a larger view.

How Do I Search the Collection?
To browse by image: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Municipality" ⇒Select the "Volume Number" which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image, comparing the information you find with what you already know about your ancestors to determine the correct individual or family. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

I Found Who 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 indexes 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.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or Church Records may be more useful.
 * 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. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.

Citing this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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