German Church Record Basics - Part 1 - German Records

All of my Panther family tree information was found in the church records of a few villages in Germany. So, let's say you know what town your family is from in Germany. You have found microfilm of the church records in the LDS archives. You order the film or are viewing the images online. How do you read them? You might recognize your ancestors' names written on the pages but that's all you can figure out. How do you know what they say?

First, you need to know what language the records are written in. The later records, from about 1800 and later, are typically written in German. Earlier than this, they're typically in Latin. This is part one of two, the German records. Part two covers the Latin records and can be found here: http://matthewkmiller.blogspot.com/2014/01/german-church-record-basics-part-2.html

Then comes the hand writing. Some of the writing is in very elaborate script that can make it difficult to read. Some is in clear handwriting which makes it quite easy. Some seems close to a scribble that sometimes can be nearly impossible to read.

Here is a sample of each of the types of German church book records:

German Birth/Baptismal (Geburten/Taufen) Record

German Marriage (Ehe) Record

German Death (Toten/Gestorben) Record

Latin Birth/Baptism (Natus/Baptizatus) Record

Latin Marriage (Matrimonius) Record

Latin Death (Mortus) Record

Let's take them one by one:

German Birth/Baptismal (Geburten/Taufen) Record - The key words you're looking for are:

getauft - baptized

Sohn - son

Followed by the father's name. The father's name may be preceded or followed by his occupation and possibly by the mother's name.

Tochter - daughter

vater - father

Mutter - mother

Zaugen - witnesses

In baptismal records the witnesses are typically the godfather and godmother

German Marriage (Ehe) Record - The key words you're looking for are:

Sohn - son

Followed by the father's name. The father's name may be preceded or followed by his occupation and possibly by the mother's name.

Tochter - daughter

 Followed by the father's name. The father's name may be preceded or followed by his occupation and possibly by the mother's name.

geboren - born

Some marriage records will list the bride and groom's birth year and possibly full birth date.

Zaugen - witnesses

German Death (Toten/Gestorben) Record - The key words you're looking for are:

tag alt - for babies, "days old"

monaten alt - for babies, "months old"

jahre alt - for older children and adults - "years old"

Sohn - son

 Followed by the father's name. The father's name may be preceded or followed by his occupation and possibly by the mother's name.

Tochter - daughter

  Followed by the father's name. The father's name may be preceded or followed by his occupation and possibly by the mother's name.

Vidua - Widow or Widower

Ehemann - Husband

Followed by his wife's name

Ehefrau - Wife

Followed by her husband's name.

geb. - abbreviation of geboren - born as

Followed by the maiden name of a married woman

Zaugen - witnesses

Part 2 - Latin Records can be found here: http://matthewkmiller.blogspot.com/2014/01/german-church-record-basics-part-2.html

--Matt