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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.

Offices to Contact

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

• 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