In the Netherlands, vital records do not immediately become public but remain closed for a certain period: Birth records: 100 years Marriage records: 75 years Death records: 50 years. The records become public on 1 January of the year following the embargo period. As I described in a previous post, it may be possible to obtain copies of non-pubic records with permission of the person involved or with proof of their death. In this post, I will describe some alternative sources for … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Access Restrictions For People Born More Than 100 Years Ago
21 August 2024 by Leave a Comment
In the Netherlands, privacy laws restrict access to records of people who may still be alive. But this often affects records of people who were born (much) earlier too. A few examples: Death records are only public after 50 years. My great-grandmother was born in 1893 but her death record only became public this year because she was 80 years old when she died. Notarial records become public after 75 years. If a person born in 1880 makes a will in 1970, their will only becomes public … [Read more...]
Dutch records that became public in 2024
2 January 2024 by Leave a Comment
Happy New Year everybody! Many records become public after 20, 25, 50, 75, or 100 years. Here is an overview of some of the records that became public as of 1 January 2024. Exceptions may exist for records that involve people that could still be alive. Just because records are public does not mean they are immediately available online. Some archives digitize the birth, marriage, and death records immediately, others do not. Some records will be online, some may be ordered via scanning on … [Read more...]
Records that became public in 2023
1 January 2023 by Leave a Comment
Happy New Year everybody! Many records become public after 20, 25, 50, 75, or 100 years. Here is an overview of some of the records that became public as of 1 January 2023. Exceptions may exist for records that involve people that could still be alive. Just because records are public does not mean they are immediately available online. Some archives digitize the birth, marriage, and death records immediately, others do not. Some records will be online, some may be ordered via scanning on … [Read more...]
Records that became public in 2022
1 January 2022 by Leave a Comment
Happy New Year everybody! Many records become public after 20, 25, 50, 75, or 100 years. Here is an overview of some of the records that became public as of 1 January 2022. Exceptions may exist for records that involve people that could still be alive. Just because records are public does not mean they are immediately available online. Some archives digitize the birth, marriage, and death records immediately, others do not. Some records will be online, some may be ordered via scanning on … [Read more...]
Records that became public in 2021
1 January 2021 by 3 Comments
Happy New Year everybody! Many records become public after 25, 50, 75, or 100 years. Here is an overview of some of the records that became public as of 1 January 2021. Exceptions may exist for records that involve people that could still be alive. Civil registration records: Birth records from 1920 Marriage records from 1945 Death records from 1970 Legal records: Court records from 1945 Police records from 1945 National government records: Minutes of the council … [Read more...]
Accessing Records that are Not Public Yet
19 June 2020 by Leave a Comment
Dutch privacy laws are strict and restrict access to recent records. Sometimes, it may be necessary to consult these records because you are researching a person who was born less than 100 years ago, or because you need your own or your families' records for legal purposes. I have written an article on how to obtain certified copies of birth, marriage, and death records. This article will focus on accessing non-public records in a reading room. Why are records restricted? There can be … [Read more...]
Dutch Records that became Public on 1 January 2020
1 January 2020 by Leave a Comment
Happy New Year everybody! Many records become public after 25, 50, 75, or 100 years. Here is an overview of some of the records that became public as of 1 January 2020. Exceptions may exist for records that involve people that could still be alive. Civil registration records: Birth records from 1919 Marriage records from 1944 Death records from 1969 Legal records: Court records from 1944 Police records from 1944 National government records: Minutes of the … [Read more...]
Sources for researching people in the 1900s
1 February 2019 by 4 Comments
Researching people in the 1900s in the Netherlands can be hard because of privacy regulations. Records of people born less than 100 years ago are usually restricted. Here are some other options for research. Family papers Your family may have papers about recent family members, such as marriage booklets or prayer cards. Newspapers Check the newspaper website Delpher for newspaper articles. Births, marriages, and deaths were always announced by the municipality in the newspaper, though … [Read more...]
Dutch records that are public as of 1 January 2019
1 January 2019 by 4 Comments
Happy New Year everybody! Many record series have schedules that determine when they become public. Here are some of the civil registration records that have become public today: Birth records from 1918, which includes my maternal grandfather Johannes Marijnissen. Marriage records from 1943, which includes my maternal grandparents Johannes Marijnissen and Catharina Flooren. Death records from 1968. Not all archives immediately scan and index those records, so they may not be … [Read more...]
