Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records (2024)

Netherlands

What is in This Collection?[edit | edit source]

This collection includes indexed records from across the Netherlands. This collection contains records of birth, marriage, and death. For an index to other records see Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Public Records and Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Vital Records.

The data in this index was contributed from many archives around the Netherlands. The collection continues to grow as records become available. The indexes were originally collected, combined, and published by OpenArchives. For the entire index collection and more information visit OpenArchives.

This collection contains records of many types. Some of the more common include:

• Civil registration
• Church registers
• Emigration lists
• Military registers
• Land and tax registers

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Index and Image Visibility[edit | edit source]

Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. Please be aware some collections consist only of partial information indexed from the records and do not contain any images. For additional information about image restrictions see Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.

Reading These Records[edit | edit source]

These records are written in Dutch. For help reading these records see:

• Dutch Genealogical Word List
• NetherlandsHandwriting

In this collection, some index entries may include the following Dutch terms:

• onbekend, "unknown"
• levenloos, "stillborn"
• een levenloos zoon, "stillborn son"
• een levenloze dochter, "stillborn daughter"
• weduwe van, "widow of"
• de vrouw van, "the wife of"
• twee kinderen van, "two children of"
• zijn jonggeb kind, "his young child"

These normally occur in place of an individual's given name. None of these terms should ever be considered an actual name.

What Can These Records Tell Me?[edit | edit source]

The following information may be found in these records:

Collection Content[edit | edit source]

Coverage Table[edit | edit source]

For a list of the archives which have contributed to this collection, please see OpenArchives' page showing the number of individual entries.

How Do I Search This Collection?[edit | edit source]

Before searching, it is best to know the following information:

• Name of the person
• Date range for the record

As you search, compare your results with this information to find a match.

Search the Index[edit | edit source]

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.

1. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
2. Click Search to show possible matches

How Do I Analyze the Results?[edit | edit source]

Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?[edit | edit source]

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

• Add any new information to your records
• If available, check the image for additional information
• Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family
• Record entries for other people with the same surname to identify possible relationships

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

• The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
• Try searching by surname only
• Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps[edit | edit source]

The following articles will help you research your family in Netherlands.

Citing This Collection[edit | edit source]

Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.

Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.