Germany - Death - 1500-1874 Search Strategy

Parish Register, Burial: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep burial records. The burial record may include death dates. Information found in a burial record depends on how detailed the minister made his record.


 * What you are looking for: Before civil registers began, church burial records were the best source for determining when a person died. They included nearly everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the deceased.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all burial records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Parish Transcripts, Burial: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep burial records. Before civil registration began, the government required churches to submit a copy of the burial records. The records give the names of the parents and the child, and they include death dates. These records may not begin the same year for every parish.


 * What you are looking for: The government required the church to submit copies of burial records. If the original parish records have been destroyed, these copies are the best source for determining when a person died.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all burial transcript records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Parish Register, Christening, 1500-1874: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep christening (or baptism) records. The records give the names of the parents and the child and include birth dates. Information found in a christening depends on how detailed the minister made his record.


 * What you are looking for: Before church family registers began, church christening records were the best source for determining when a person died. In the christening record next to the person's name, the minister may put the symbol of a cross and death date, showing they died. When the father or mother appears in the christening records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all German christening records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Parish Transcripts, Christening: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep christening (or baptism) records. Before civil registration began, the government required churches to submit a copy of the christening records. If the father or mother appear in the christening record with a new spouse, you can estimate that the first spouse died about two years before. Use these records when death and burial records are not available. These records may not begin the same year for every parish.


 * What you are looking for: Before church christening registers began, church christening transcripts were the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the christening records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all christening transcripts have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Parish Register, Marriage: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep marriage records. If the father or mother appear in the marriage record with a new spouse, you can estimate that the first spouse died about a year before. Use these records when death and burial records are not available.


 * What you are looking for: Couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Second and third marriages may occur anytime after that. If transcript christening records do not exist, parish marriage records are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the marriage records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all parish marriage records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Parish Transcripts, Marriage: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep marriage records. Before civil registration began, the government required churches to submit a copy of the marriage records. If the father or mother appear in the marriage record with a new spouse, you can estimate that the first spouse died about a year before. Use these records when death and burial records are not available. These records may not begin the same year for every parish.


 * What you are looking for: Couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Second and third marriages may occur anytime after that. If parish marriage records do not exist, parish marriage transcripts are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the marriage records with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died the previous year.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all marriage transcript records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Census: Census
Census or resident records were not kept with any consistency or regularity. When an ancestor no longer appears in a census, it means the ancestor either moved or died. These records can help identify all the members of a family and help determine where a family originated.


 * What you are looking for: When marriage transcripts do not exist, census records are the best source for determining when a person died. When the father or mother appears in the census record with a different spouse, it means the former spouse died sometime between that census and the previous one.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all census records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Probate File: Probate records
Probate records provide information about the birth, marriage, and death of an individual. They can also help identify all the members of a family.


 * What you are looking for: When census records do not exist, probate records are the best source for determining when a person died. Probate records may not give a death date, but the date of the probate is usually the year of death.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all probate records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Citizenship Record: Naturalization and citizenship
Citizenship records were kept by the town in which an ancestor lived. These records provide an ancestor's occupation, age or date of birth, and sometimes names of the parents or spouse. When an ancestor no longer appears in a citizenship record, it means the ancestor either moved or died.


 * What you are looking for: When probate records do not exist, citizenship records are the best source for determining when a person died. Citizenship records may not give a death date, but the year a person ceases to appear in the citizenship records may be the year of death.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all citizenship records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Muster Rolls: Military records
Military records provide the date and place of birth of every male drafted in the army. The name of the father and his occupation may also be given. These records may also provide marriage and death information.


 * What you are looking for: When citizenship records do not exist, military records are the best source for determining when a male died. Military records may not give an exact death date, but they provide the year of death.
 * Why go to the next record: Not all military records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.