Starting this fall FamilySearch will begin scanning Belgian civil registration records from 1910 until 1950 at the State Archives in Beveren (Antwerp), Leuven (Brabant), and Mons (Hainaut). As before, the digital images will be made available on both FamilySearch’s and the Belgian State Archives’ web platform. The usual, legally imposed, restrictions for genealogists still apply:
- Birth records become public after 100 years
- Death records become public after 50 years
- Marriage records become public after 75 years
A quick review of how to access Belgian Civil Registration records at FamilySearch and the State Archives of Belgium might be in order.
Table of Contents
Civil Registration Records at FamilySearch
Access to FamilySearch is free, but users do need to create a free account. FamilySearch has three indexes to selected Belgium births, marriages, deaths, and burials.
- “Belgium Births and Baptisms, 1560-1890.” https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1520562
- “Belgium Deaths and Burials, 1564-1900.” https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1520580
- “Belgium Marriages, 1563-1890.” https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1520579
The emphasis is on selected: Only a few localities are included, and the time periods varies by locality. For most towns you will need to browse the digital images, so it helps if you know the name of the town where the person of interest was born, married, or died.
At FamilySearch you can choose one of two approaches: (1) use the FamilySearch Catalog or (2) start from the collection record for each province. I prefer the first one, because I have found it to be more up to date.
Using the FamilySearch Catalog
Navigate to the FamilySearch Catalog to search by place.
FamilySearch will suggest a complete hierarchy for your search term. For example, Kaprijke should be searched as Belgium, Oost Vlaanderen, Kaprijke.
From the results, select “Belgium, Oost Vlaanderen, Kaprijke – Civil registration.”
Expand the Civil registration selection and explore the options.
Results will vary. In this case:
- The first selection is a link to the town’s church records from before the advent of civil registration in 1796. In some towns they will include some parish records beyond 1796 or some of the early civil registration records.
- Selection two is a link to the town’s later civil registration records.
- Selection three is a link to the town’s earlier civil registration records.
Make your selection and drill down to find the records you are interested in.
Access Through the Collection Records for Each Province
You can also browse the civil registration records by starting from the collection record for each province and selecting “Browse All Images.”
- Antwerp. https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138481
- Brabant: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1482191
- East Flanders: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138513
- Hainaut: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138500
- Liège: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138505
- Limburg: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138507
- Luxembourg: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138510
- Namur: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2138511
- West Flanders: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2139860
From the browse screen, select the town and then the records of interest
Civil Registration Records at the State Archives of Belgium
Free online access to digital records at the State Archives of Belgium also requires registration. Users can search for names in a global search engine, and/or browse the digital images.
Using the search engine
The search engine “Search Persons,” (https://search.arch.be/en/zoeken-naar-personen) provides access to thousands of genealogical records, including church and civil registration records. However, even though it contains 35+ million names, many towns have not yet been completely indexed.
From the page with search results, use the hourglass button on the right to see an extract of the record. Always check the original record, which is easy now that you have a place, date, and record number.
Be aware that the English version of this search engine still uses a lot of Dutch vocabulary. If you are more comfortable with the French language, you may want to use the following link: https://search.arch.be/fr/rechercher-des-personnes.
For detailed instructions on how to use the search engine, read the instructions at https://search.arch.be/images/stories/doc/Manual_Zoeken_Personen_EN_V2.pdf.
Access via the collection records for each province and district
Do not give up if you do not find your name in the search engine. Instead navigate to the browseable images for each province at https://search.arch.be/en/themas/tips/516-civil-status-registers-en. The records for East Flanders, Hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg, and West-Flanders are separated by district (arrondissement).
Drill down to the specific town, record set, and era of interest.
Once you have made your selection, look for the tab Gedigitaliseerde archiefdocumenten or Archives numérisées to see the digital images (this tab will not appear if you not are logged in!).
Navigate through the images with the buttons at the bottom of the screen (see Dutch and French browsing vocabulary at the end of this post).
Unlike FamilySearch, the State Archives does not provide an easy download option, so make a screenshot to have your own digital copy of the record.
How to Find and Use the Decennial Indexes
No matter where you browse the digital images, it is a good idea to consult the indexes first. From the year 1807 the civil registrar was required to end each year with a yearly index. Furthermore, the towns were required to create a 10-year index starting with 1803-1812. Some but not all towns went back and created indexes for the earlier years as well. The decennial indexes are called “Tienjarige tafels,” or “Tables Décennales.”
You can usually tell from the description of the microfilms where to find the tables, but sometimes you need to do a bit of hunting. Pay attention to the notes for each record! For example, the indexes for Liberchies are included on a microfilm with those of several other Hainaut towns. You need to return to the catalog and search for each particular film number.
The tables for Herentals, Antwerpen, are found with those of other towns in the Arrondissement Turnhout. You need to return to the catalog and search for Turnhout (Arrondissement).
A Dutch and French Browsing Vocabulary
- Achternaam = Last name
- Actes = Records
- Actes de décès = Death records
- Actes de divorces = Divorce records
- Actes de mariages = Marriage records
- Actes de naissances = Birth records
- Actes de naturalisation = Naturalization records
- Akten = Records
- Archives numerisées = Digitized records
- Bruid = Bride
- Bruidegom = Groom
- Burgerlijke Stand = Civil registration
- Décès = Death
- Dernier = Last
- Deuxième personne = Second person
- Direct naar = Directly to
- Divorce = Divorce
- Echtscheiding = Divorce
- Echtscheidingsakten = Divorce records
- Eerste = First
- Eerste persoon = First person
- Enfant = Child
- Epouse = Wife
- Epoux = Husband
- Etat civil = Civil registration
- Geboorte = Birth
- Geboorteakten = Birth records
- Gedigitaliseerde archiefdocumenten = Digitized records
- Huwelijk = Marriage
- Huwelijksafkondigingen = Notices of marriage (Banns)
- Huwelijksakten = Marriage records
- Huwelijksbijlagen = Marriage supplements
- Jugements = Judgments
- Kind = Child
- Laatste = Last
- Lieu = Place
- Mariages = Marriage
- Mère = Mother
- Mère de l’épouse = Mother of the bride
- Mère de l’époux = Mother of the groom
- Moeder = Mother
- Moeder van de bruid = Mother of the bride
- Moeder van de bruidegom = Mother of the groom
- Naissances = Birth
- Naturalisatie = Naturalization
- Naturalisatieakten = Naturalization records
- Naturalisation = Naturalization
- Nom = Last name
- Overlijden = Death
- Overlijdensakten = Death
- Père = Father
- Père de l’épouse = Father of the bride
- Père de l’époux = Father of the groom
- Periode = Period
- Période = Period
- Pièces de mariage = Marriage supplements
- Plaats = Place
- Précédent = Previous
- Premier = First
- Première personne = First person
- Prénom = First name
- Publications de mariage = Notices of marriage (Banns)
- Rechercher des personnes = Search for persons
- Suivant = Next
- Tables décennales = Decennial index
- Tienjarige tafel = Decennial index
- Tweede persoon = Second person
- Vader = Father
- Vader van de bruid = Father of the bride
- Vader van de bruidegom = Father of the groom
- Vers = Directly to
- Volgende = Next
- Voornaam = First name
- Vorige = Previous
- Zoeken naar personen = Search for persons
Cite this post
Cite this post: Kristine Smets, “FamilySearch to Digitize Belgian Civil Registration Records From 1910-1950″ The Belgian American, (https://thebelgianamerican.com : accessed [date]), posted 12 July 2022.
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