If you are researching nineteenth and twentieth century Dutch ancestors, the civil registration records of births, marriages and deaths are among the first sources you should consult. Understanding how these records were created will help you assess their reliability. Birth records When the civil registration was introduced nation-wide in 1811, the law required that baby be presented at town hall, to make sure that a birth actually took place. Since this could be dangerous to the child, … [Read more...]
How to obtain certified copies of birth, marriage or death records from the Netherlands
31 July 2015 by 12 Comments
I often receive requests by people who need to obtain official certificates of Dutch birth, marriage or death records for legal purposes. Obtaining certified copies is not a service I provide, so I will give you the instructions on how to do this yourself. Reasons for needing a certified copy There may be several reasons why you need an official extract of a birth, marriage or death record in the Netherlands, for example: You were born in the Netherlands and need proof of your birth in … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Check marriage records of siblings
10 June 2015 by Leave a Comment
When looking for more information about your ancestor, be sure to check the records of the siblings. Marriage records of the siblings can be very informative. There are two situations when checking marriage records of siblings is especially helpful: If your ancestor married just before the introduction of the civil registration and their siblings married after the introduction of the civil registration. Marriage records created by the civil registration are much more informative than the … [Read more...]
What spouses promised each other
20 February 2015 by 4 Comments
If you have ever read all of the text of an early civil registration marriage record, you may have read how the groom and the bride promised to fulfill the duties of a husband and wife towards each other as specified in Title 5, Chapter 6 of the Civil Code. So what does that actually mean? Here is what the law of 1823 says about that. Of the rights and duties of the spouses to each other The spouses owe each other, each to the other, faithfulness, aid and support. The husband owes his … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Echtscheiding
26 January 2015 by Leave a Comment
Echtscheiding (or scheiding) is the Dutch name for divorce. Up until the last part of the 20th century, divorce was pretty rare in the Netherlands. There are several ways to find out if a couple got divorced. The most common one is to look in the margins of the marriage record, where the divorce will be noted. The divorce will also be recorded in the marriage register, with a reference to the court ruling. You can use this to find the ruling in the court records, which may give more … [Read more...]
Quick tip – A couple usually married in the bride’s home town
19 November 2014 by Leave a Comment
Most couples got married in the bride's home town even though they often went to live in the groom's town. So if you can't find a marriage record in the town where the couple lived, try to find out where the wife came from and look for the marriage there. Banns were usually published in both places so you can also try the 'ondertrouw' records. … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Trouwen met de handschoen
13 October 2014 by 1 Comment
Trouwen met de handschoen literally means "marrying with the glove" and means a proxy marriage. People marry "with the glove" if they can't be in the same location during the marriage ceremony. The bride or the groom is represented by someone with a power of attorney and the marriage will take place as usual, probably with the exception of the kissing of the bride! Originally, a glove was displayed to signify the absent party, which is how the procedure got its informal name. The formal name … [Read more...]
Quick tip: check Dutch Reformed records for Catholics
2 July 2014 by Leave a Comment
After the Eighty Year War (1568-1648), only marriages performed in the Dutch Reformed Church or before the Eldermen's court were considered legal. This means that even marriages between two Catholic people can often be found in Dutch Reformed church records. This does not mean they converted or pretended to be Dutch Reformed, they just went there to get married. Catholics considered the Dutch Reformed marriage as their civil union. For more information and examples, see always check all … [Read more...]
Dutch term: weduwnaar
11 November 2013 by Leave a Comment
The word weduwnaar means widower. In most marriage records, even the early ones, the fact that groom is a widower will be mentioned. If you're lucky, the name of the previous spouse is mentioned too, but that has only been required since the civil registration (1811 or slightly earlier). … [Read more...]
Quick tip: Always check all versions of a marriage record
30 October 2013 by Leave a Comment
In the days before the introduction of the civil registration in 1811 (or slightly earlier in Limburg and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), the only legally recognized marriages were those performed before the court or by the Dutch Reformed church. Roman-Catholic couples usually married in the Roman-Catholic church as well. Be sure to always check both types of records because one may include more information than the other, as the following example will illustrate. Roman-Catholic marriage record This … [Read more...]
