Belgium Record Finder

Belgium Wiki Topics

Beginning Research
Research Strategies Record Finder Finding Towns of Origin Online Learning
Record Types
Cemeteries Church History Church Records Civil Registration Directories Emigration & Immigration Compiled Genealogies Jewish Records Land and Property Military Records Naturalization and Citizenship	Notarial Records Occupations Online Genealogy Records Periodicals Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc. Population Registers Probate Records Religious Records Schools and Education Records Taxation
Belgium Background
Dutch Words List French Word List Gazetteers German Word List History Languages	Latin Word List Maps Naming Customs Social Life & Customs For Further Reading
Local Research Resources
Archives and Libraries Societies FamilySearch Centers
Moderator
The FamilySearch moderator for Belgium is Daniel Jones.

Belgium

Record Finder

Record Finder Table for Belgium

The following Record Finder table assists researchers in determining record types that may list the information they are looking for.

Order of Records

The typically most reliable sources are listed at the top of the list. However, depending on the time period of the record and location, multiple records in the list may need to be searched to achieve the objective. Alternative records are listed as well in case traditional records do not provide the desired information.

List of Topics

This Record Finder table links to the Belgium topic Wiki pages, containing databases and other information about accessing the records.

Vital Events

Searching for:	Best Records to Search:	Alternative Records:
Birth date and place	Church Records Civil Registration Notarial Records	Census Military Records Cemeteries Biography
Marriage place and date	Church Records Civil Registration
Death date, place, and burial	Church Records Civil Registration Notarial Records	Cemeteries Probate Records Biography

Maiden Names and Family Members

Searching for:	Best Records to Search:	Alternative Records:
Maiden name	Church Records Civil Registration
Parents, children, spouses, and other family members	Church Records Civil Registration
Living relatives	Genealogies Directories

Immigration and Country of Origin

Searching for:	Best Records to Search:	Alternative Records:
Immigration date	Emigration and Immigration See the FamilySearch Wiki article for the country to which the ancestor immigrated.	Societies Minorities
Country of origin	Emigration and Immigration	Societies Minorities

Residences and Locations

Searching for:	Best Records to Search:	Alternative Records:
Residence	Church Records Civil Registration

Personal Details and Affiliations

Searching for:	Best Records to Search:	Alternative Records:
Nobility	Nobility Heraldry
Occupation	Church Records Civil Registration
Religion	Church Records
Social activities
Physical description

Reading the Records

Vocabulary	Dutch Genealogical Word List German French
Naming patterns
Online classes	Reading Dutch Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The Dutch Alphabet. Reading Dutch Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Dutch Words and Dates. Reading Dutch Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading Dutch Records. Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 1: The French Alphabet, Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases Reading French Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading French Records Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent Reading German Handwritten Records Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents
Writing for records

Provinces

The topic articles listed above give general background, record contents details, and research methods. More specific help is available in topic articles for each province, including links to actual records. Brussels (Bruxelles) capital region

Brussels (Bruxelles) Capital Region

Flanders region (five provinces) -- Dutch Speaking:

Wallonia Region (five provinces) -- French Speaking:

Death information	Civil Registration, Church Records, Notarial Records	Cemeteries, Probate Records, Biography
Emigration information	Emigration and Immigration	Societies, Minorities
Language helps	Language and Languages	Online Genealogy Records
Living relatives	Directories, Genealogy	Societies, Periodicals
Maiden name	Civil Registration, Church Records	Notarial Records
Marriage information	Civil Registration, Church Records	Notarial Records, Biography
Naming customs	Names, Personal	Genealogy, Periodicals
Noble families	Nobility, Heraldry	Genealogy
Occupations	Directories, Church Records, Census	Emigration and Immigration, Military Records
Parents, children, and other family members	Civil Registration, Church Records, Genealogy, Societies	Probate Records, Notarial Records, Biography
Physical description	Military Records, Biography	Online Genealogy Records
Places of residence	Civil Registration, Directories, Emigration and Immigration	Census, Voting Registers, Schools, Taxation
Religion	Church Records, History	Minorities, Cemeteries
Social activities	Social Life and Customs	History