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Birth certificates from archives in Germany that were issued over 110 years ago
Old official birth certificates from Germany are important documents for genealogy and family research as well as for a citizenship procedure.
They contain information about the child’s surname, first name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, and parents. The oldest birth certificates in Germany date back to 1874. The German Civil Status Act came into force on 1 October 1874.
The Civil Status Act created a uniform system of civil status registration for the entire German Reich. Before 1874, births, marriages and deaths were recorded by the churches. In some regions, for example on the left bank of the Rhine, there were already so-called civil status documents that are similar to birth certificates.
The availability of recordings varied by region and time period. However, church records are often the only source for researching family history prior to 1874. If there are entries in church registers in archives, we can provide them and, if available, also certified civil status documents.
The birth certificates from Germany, which were issued 110 years ago, were created between 1874 and 1913. They are often available in the German archives, which keep the civil status registers of the registry offices.
These archives may vary by state. For example, these can be kept in the registry office of the place of birth, in the relevant
- federal state archive
- city archive
- district archive
- state archive etc.
Sometimes it is also necessary to prove that you have a legitimate interest in the document, for example as a direct descendant or as a researcher.
We can carry out an extensive search in the relevant archives. To do this, we need the following information:
>> After receiving your request, we will check which options are available and will make you an offer. <<
Please note that civil status certificates from archives are only available in German. Upon request, we can provide paid transcription and/or translation into English, Spanish or French. Fees vary depending on the language and length of the transcription or translation text.
The fees for the civil status certificate, including certification from state archives or municipal authorities, are 155 USD.
Without notarization, the cost is 116 USD. Shipping costs will be charged extra.
If no exact data is available for the desired entry, a search fee will be charged.
For an extensive search in the archives in question, we charge 122 USD.
The search fee is independent of success, which means that this fee cannot be refunded under any circumstances if the document cannot be found in the archive.
