Meinersen, Germany, Marriages, 1874-1935

About this collection

This collection contains marriage records and name directories from Meinersen covering the years 1874 up to and including 1935. This municipality is located near the confluence of the Oker and Aller rivers in the district of Gifhorn about 19 miles northwest of Brunswick and about 22 miles west of Wolfsburg in what is now Lower Saxony. Meinersen was first mentioned in a document from the year 1154. Until the 14th century it was the family seat of the house of Meinersen. During the time period of this collection, until 1918, Meinersen belonged to the Duchy of Brunswick. This collection also includes records from the communities of Hilerse and Leiferde as well as from the modern districts of Ahnsen, Päse and Seershausen. It contains a name directory from Flettmar in Müden. The records cover varying time periods.

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." For some of the communities included in the collection, corresponding directories of names were also created. 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

Marriage records were created using preprinted forms that were filled in by hand by the registrar. Depending on the individual form or on the formulations used by the registrar, you may find:

• Sequential or Certificate Number
• Marriage Date
• Groom: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Denomination, Age, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about his Parents and their Place of residence
• Bride: Occupation, Given Names, Last Name, Maiden Name, Denomination, Age, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about her Parents and their Place of Residence
• Witnesses
• Signatures

Depending on the form used, the name directories are arranged chronologically or alphabetically according to the last name of the groom. They are bound in chronological volumes separately or with several years combined. They contain the following details:

• Sequential number
• Last Names and Given Names of the Groom and Bride
• Cross-reference to marriage register

More about using this collection

Each document has a front and back. These are displayed one ofter the other. Additional events from the life of the couple 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 found via the search form. Entries for Address often include placenames and house numbers. Street names were not common in smaller communities.

Under "Browse this collection,” select the Civil Registration Office and Year Range for the desired records. When name directories (Namensverzeichnis) are available for a registry office, they are separately displayed and selectable.