Prenzlau, Germany, Births, 1874-1901

About this collection

This collection contains birth records from Prenzlau covering the years 1874 up to and including 1901. Prenzlau is the administrative center of the district of Uckermark in the German state of Brandenburg. The city is situated about 62 miles north of Munich and approximatly 31 miles west of the Polish city of Stettin. The first documentary mention of Prenzlau was in 1187 and at that time it was already an important hub of long-distance trade. Numerous churches, abbeys and steeples characterize its skyline. During the time period of this collection, Prenzlau belonged to the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. In addition to Prenzlau, this collection includes records from Dedelow, Klinkow and Seelübbe. The records from those communities end by 1900.

Beginning on October 1, 1874, local registry offices were made responsible for creating birth, marriage, and death records in the former Prussian provinces. The collected records are arranged chronologically and usually in bound yearbook form which are collectively referred to as "civil registers." Complementary alphabetical directories of names may also have been created for Prenzlau. While churches continued to keep traditional records, the State also mandated that the personal or marital status of the entire population be recorded.

What you can find in the records

Birth records were created using preprinted forms that were filled in by hand by the registrar. In each record the date of a birth usually differs from the date it was registered. Depending on the individual form or on the formulations used by the registrar, you may find:

• Sequential or Certificate Number
• Registration Date
• Informant: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Residence/Address, Denomination
• Mother: Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Residence/Address, Denomination
• Child: Birth Date, Time of Birth, Sex, Given Names
• Signatures

More about using this collection

Each record comprises one page. Additional events from the life of the child were sometimes recorded later on in the margins. These notes, sometimes referred to as "narration," can contain very useful information but they have not been indexed. As a result, information from the notes will not be found via the search form. In cases where the child had not yet received a name at birth, the name was later added in the margin notes. The “Informant” was often a midwife or the child's father. Under "Browse this collection,” select the Civil Registration Office and then the time period for the register desired. Name directories for Prenzlau proper can be found at the beginning of each year range or volume.