Czechia Civil Registration

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Czechia

Civil Registration

How to Find the Records

Online Collections

• 1874-1937 Czech Republic Civil Registers, 1874-1937 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images, A few records are online, images only at FamilySearch Historical Records.

Records Online

To check whether specific civil records are already online:

• Using the GenTeam gazetteer, search for your town.
• Click on the archival link in GenTeam or follow the instructions in the relevant how-to guide instructions and locate the civil records. For example, if researching in Plzeň:
  • Click on the Pilsen (Plzeň) archival link.
  • In the first search box on the left (Titel/Nadpis), type the name of your town. In the year boxes (on the right), type the year range of interest and click OK.
  • Click on a book of interest and browse (* = births, oo = marriages, + = deaths, i = index); those labeled Standesamt or Okresní úřad as part of the linked blue book title are civil records, whereas those without such a designation are church records.
• Alternatively:
  • On the Plzeň archival site, click on the three-line icon in the upper left corner containing the word Obsah/Inhalt (content).
  • Select the Matriky/Matriken icon.
  • Select both of the last two options:
    • Okresní úřad, národní výbor (1869-1949); these are non-denominational/civil registration records
    • Standesamt (1938-1945); these are civil registration records
  • Using the GenTeam gazetteer, determine the district (Bezirk) your town belonged to.
  • On the "Okresní úřad, národní výbor (1869-1949)" or "Standesamt (1938-1945)" page, click on each of your district's listings.
  • Click on a book to browse the digital images.

Offices to Contact

Municipal and sub-district vital records offices (matriční úřady)
See List of matriční úřady.
Instructions:

• On the list of matriční úřady (registry offices) page, click on the tab labeled "Potřebujete vyřídit..."
• Type your town name into the search box at the top of the page and hit Enter.
• Click on the search result that includes the words Obecní úřad (municipal office).
• The contact information will be located on the office page.

To view a list of offices within your district:

• Using the GenTeam gazetteer, determine the district (Bezirk) your town belonged to.
• Search the list of registry offices (matriční úřady) for your district using CTRL+F or Command+F. Click on the district name to see a list of the offices in that district.
• Click on an office to view contact information.
  
  

Some information can be obtained by correspondence or by visiting the vital records offices in person.

Use the Czechia Letter Writing Guide for help with writing for records.

Historical Background

• During the time of Austrian rule there were a few civil registers started in 1870 to record those of dissident faiths or to record the baptisms of children of mixed marriages but these are still categorized as church registers.
• Another law in 1885 allowed for the recording of mixed marriages and children of mixed marriages to be recorded in quasi civil registers by local civil officials.
• In 1921 registration by civil authorities was enacted into law throughout the new Czechoslovak Republic.

Civil Registration [Civilní matriky]

Information Recorded in the Records

Births

• Name of child
• Date of entry
• Place and date of birth
• Names, ages and residence of parents, until 1948, also the religion of parents
• Names of witnesses

Marriages

• Date and place of marriage
• Names
• Occupations
• Dates and places of birth and residences of groom and bride
• Names and residences of parents and witnesses
• Until 1948, also the religion

Deaths

• Name
• Occupation
• Residence and age of the deceased
• Dates of death and entry
• Names of surviving spouse and parents
• Place and cause of death
• Until 1948, also the religion

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.