Czech Republic Land Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Tschechische Republik, Landurkunden 1450-1850

Collection Time Period
This collection of land records cover the years 1450-1850.

Record Description
Czech land books include declarations of land ownership, land transfers, and land inheritances. The Czech name of land records has varied over time; however, the records listed in this collection are named gruntovní knihy. These books initially were kept at the landholder level, then at village level, farm level, and finally by a district administrator and his scribe. Land registers are written mostly in German, with some in Czech.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most of these land records include:


 * A list of serfs with land rights, including their ages and type of obligations toward the estate owner
 * Residences and often relationship to previous landholder
 * Lists of all the inhabitants of the estate, testaments, debts, orphan matters, mortgages, marriage contracts, inheritance, and other matters
 * Changes in ownership of properties, succession of farmstead holders, prices and payments of property and goods

How to Use the Record
These records can enhance the effective use of church records. They establish residence, ages, and relationships, which are valuable for pedigree links or when other records are not available.

Record History
The land books [pozemkové knihy] recorded landholders and land lease titles; they date from about 1600. The oldest land books [pozemkové knihy] listed the location of the property along with the financial obligations of the landholder to the estate owner. Buildings on these lands were often listed by type in land books (cottage, blacksmith’s forge etc). Starting in the mid 1600s, some records began differentiating by categories of farmers. These categories were:


 * Sedlak -- serfs who did not own their land
 * Chalupnik -- gardeners who owned their domicile and a small amount of land surrounding it
 * Zharadnik -- cottagers who owned somewhat larger tracts of land

Another interesting fact about the land registers is that holders sometimes abandoned farmsteads and moved to another locality. In general, they left to escape high debt, but mostly because of drudgery or oppression. The Thirty Years' War killed many people. Everyone tried to get more land, and the gardener and serf classes decreased. Land registers are in the custody of Regional State Archives.

Why the Record Was Created
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Record Reliability
The completeness of these records depended on the talents and inclination of the record keeper.

Related Websites
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Related Wiki Articles

 * Czech Republic Land and Property
 * Czech Republic Parish Finder

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. 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.

A suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71.


 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023.

Sources of Information for This Collection
Czech Republic. Land Records, 1450-1850. Regional Archive of Opava, Opava, Czech Republic.

We welcome your assistance in adding source citations for individual archives when collection data was collected from various sources or archives. The format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.