Württemberg, Germany, Family Tables, 1550-1985

About this collection

This collection contains family tables from numerous communities that are today part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It does not include, however, records from historic Baden. The oldest entries date from the 16th century. In 1559, the "Great Church Order," or constitution, of Württemberg was issued. Most records sets end in the late 19th century, but some extend up to the beginning of World War II and sometimes up to the 1980s.

In 1495 Württemberg became a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire. It served as an Electorate beginning in 1803, and in 1806, with the the break-up of the empire, it became the Kingdom of Württemberg. It was a sovereign state until 1871 when it became part of the German Reich. During the occupation of 1945 to 1952, the area was divided among the Allied powers. In 1952, after the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany, Württemberg was combined with the territories of Baden and Hohenzollern into a new state, Baden-Württemberg. The collection includes, among others, the cities of Schwäbisch-Hall, Stuttgart, Tübingen and Ulm.

What you can find in the records

Beginning in 1808, family tables were extensively recorded in Württemberg and supplement parish records. Three generations of a family are usually recorded on a single or double-page sheet. Each record begins with the male head of household. The family tables are generally arranged alphabetically according to the first letter of the family surname. Depending on the time period and on the individual forms used, you may generally find the following details in these records:

• Head of household, Father: Last Name, Given names, Occupation, Birthdate, Marriage Date, Death Date, details about his Parents
• Mother: Last Name, Maiden Name, Given names, Birthdate, Marriage Date, Death Date, details about her Parents
• Children: Last Name, Given names, Occupation, Birthdate, Confirmation or Communion, Marriage Date, details about Spouse, Death Date, often includes children born outside of or previous to the marriage.

More about using this collection

This collection is based on older microfilms. Under "Browse this collection,” select the City or District and then the Description and Year Range for the desired records.