Belgium Archives and Libraries

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Belgium

Archives and Libraries

• Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
• If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
• Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the Family History Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.

Archives

National Archives

State (National) Archives of Belgium
Rue de Ruysbroeck 2
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Telephone: 02 513 76 80
Fax: 02 513 76 81
E-mail:archives.generales@arch.be
Website
To use the archives, you must create an account: Registration
Information for the Genealogist
Genealogical sources

Persons Search Engine

Online Church Registers

Online Civil Status Registers (Births, marriages, and deaths)

Reading Rooms

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FamilySearch Digitized Records

The civil registration records of the Belgium National Archives have been microfilmed, digitized, and indexed by FamilySearch.

• 1588-1913 : Belgium, Antwerp, Civil Registration, 1588-1913, index and images
• 1582-1914 : Belgium, Brabant, Civil Registration, 1582-1914, index and images
• 1541-1914 : Belgium, East Flanders, Civil Registration, 1541-1914, index and images
• 1600-1913 : Belgium, Hainaut, Civil Registration, 1600-1913, index and images
• 1798-1906 : Belgium, Limburg, Civil Registration, 1798-1906, index and images
• 1621-1914 : Belgium, Liège, Civil Registration, 1621-1914, index and images
• 1580-1920 : Belgium, Luxembourg, Civil Registration, 1580-1920, images only
• 1800-1912 : Belgium, Namur, Civil Registration, 1800-1912, index and images
• 1582-1910 : Belgium, West Flanders, Civil Registration, 1582-1910, index and images

State Archives

Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on Belgium archives. Click on the "Belgium" arrow link, then the "General State Archives..." arrow link to find addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail links for these archives:

State Archives in Arlon State Archives in Liège State Archives in Louvain-la-Neuve State Archives in Mons State Archives in Namur

State Archives in Saint-Hubert State Archives in Tournai State Archives in Antwerp State Archives in Beveren State Archives in Bruges

State Archives in Ghent State Archives in Hasselt State Archives in Kortrijk State Archives in Leuven

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In each State Archives branch office you can consult the following documents:

Regional and local public archives from the ancient regime Administrative archives and archives of contemporary law courts Archives of ecclesiastical institutions Notary archives

Family and other private archives Companies’ archives Genealogical sources (online – in the digital reading room – and on microfilm) Historical and archival publications

Libraries

Libraries of the National Archives
Website
Search catalogue
Union Catalogue of Belgian Libraries

The works from the libraries of the State Archives can only be consulted on site. The catalogue search will list the location/which library where the source is held. The libraries of the State Archives repositories hold a total of roughly 500,000 volumes, bearing on the following main topics:

• History of Belgium and earlier state entities
• publications about former colony Congo and the mandated territory Rwanda-Urundi
• regional and local history
• archival sciences
• publications about the First World War
• administrative and juridical specialist literature
• collection of precious Works
• publications of the State Archives (inventories, guides, exhibition catalogues,…)
• inventories of other Belgian and foreign archives institutio

Record Offices

Records newer than 100 years cannot be found online at the State Archives. You will need to contact the municipality where the event took place. If needed, you may need to write to an ancestor's town. Below is how to address a letter:

Gemeentebestuur = Municipal administration
De Ambtenaar van de Burgerlijke Stand = Civil State Officer
Gemeentehuis = City Hall
BE - (postal code) (name of municipality)
Belgium

• Postal Code Finder.