Source Information

Ancestry.com. Delmenhorst, Germany, Marriages 1876-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
Original data:

Personenstandsregister Heiraten. Stadtarchiv Delmenhorst, Delmenhorst, Deutschland.

About Delmenhorst, Germany, Marriages 1876-1920

About this collection

This collection contains marriage records and name directories from Delmenhorst covering the years 1876 up to and including 1920. Delmenhorst, "Demost" in Low German, is an independent city in the region of Oldenburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. The city, located near the River Delme (which gives origin to the placename), is situated west of Bremen and about 22 miles east of Oldenburg. Delmenhorst received the status of independent city in 1371 but was first mentioned in a charter in 1254. It was the long-time residence of the counts of Oldenburg. During the 19th century, the city was transformed from an agricultural to an industrial center. Numerous factories arose manufacturing cigars, burlap and jute products, wool, and linoleum flooring. This period saw a corresponding jump in population. During the time period of this collection Delmenhorst was (until 1918) part of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. In addition to Delmenhorst, the collection includes records from the community of Hasbergen.

Beginning on January 1, 1876, birth, marriage and death records in the former German Empire were created by local registry offices. The collected records are arranged chronologically and usually bound together in the form of yearbooks. These are collectively referred to as "civil registers." Complementary alphabetical directories of names may also have been 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: Last name, Given names, Denomination, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about his Parents and their Place of residence
  • Bride: Last name, Given names, Maiden Name, Denomination, Birthdate and Birthplace, Residence/Address as well as details about her Parents and their Place of residence
  • Witnesses
  • Signatures

The name directories are arranged alphabetically according to the last name of the groom. They are bound either as separate chronological volumes or together with their respective marriage registers. 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. Under "Browse this collection,” select the City and then the Volume of the register desired. When name directories are available for a registry office, they are separately displayed and selectable. However, when a name directory forms part of a register itself, it can be found at the beginning of the volume for that year.