Key Genealogy Milestones by Country: When Records Began and Where to Find Them

Austria

• 1564: Catholic parishes begin recording baptisms and marriages.
• 1784: Reforms under Joseph II require Catholic priests to record events for all faiths.
• 1869: The first full modern census is conducted.
• 1938: Civil registration begins after Austria is annexed by Germany.
• Modern access: Parish records up to 1938 are widely digitized and available through Matricula and Austrian State Archives.

Belgium

• 1564: Catholic parishes begin recording baptisms and marriages following the Council of Trent.
• 1795: Civil registration starts when Belgium is annexed by France. Municipalities take over recording of births, marriages, and deaths.
• 1830: Belgium becomes independent from the Netherlands.
• 1846: Population registers are introduced, creating detailed household listings that continue over generations.
• Modern access: Civil and parish records are available online through State Archives of Belgium and other regional repositories.

France

• 1539: The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts requires baptism records to be kept in French.
• 1579: Marriage and burial records are added to the required parish registers.
• 1667: Parishes must keep duplicate registers stored with local courts to prevent loss.
• 1792: Civil registration officially begins. Municipal offices now record all births, marriages, and deaths instead of churches.
• 1871: Paris city archives are destroyed during the Commune, resulting in the loss of many older records.
• Modern access: Many departmental archives have digitized parish and civil records available for free online.

Germany

• 1500s: Lutheran parishes begin keeping baptism records as early as the 1530s.
• 1798 to 1815: French civil registration is introduced in areas under French control.
• 1871: The German Empire is formed.
• 1874: Prussia begins civil registration.
• 1876: Civil registration becomes mandatory throughout Germany.
• Modern access: Older parish and civil records are held in state and church archives. Many are available online through regional archives or FamilySearch.

Ireland

• 1821: Ireland conducts its first national census.
• 1845: Civil registration begins for non-Catholic marriages.
• 1864: Full civil registration begins for all births, marriages, and deaths.
• 1922: The Public Record Office is destroyed during the Civil War.
• Modern access: The 1901 and 1911 censuses are fully preserved and available online. The 1926 census is expected in 2026. Civil records and surviving parish records are available through IrishGenealogy.ie.

Italy

• 1564: Catholic parishes begin keeping baptism and marriage records following the Council of Trent.
• 1806 to 1815: Civil registration is introduced in areas under Napoleonic control.
• 1861: Italy is unified as a nation.
• 1866: Civil registration becomes mandatory across all of Italy.
• 1870: Rome and the Papal States are added to the national system.
• Modern access: Many Italian records are digitized and accessible through local archives and FamilySearch.

Netherlands

• 1795: Civil registration begins in the southern areas during French occupation.
• 1811: Civil registration becomes mandatory nationwide under Napoleonic rule. All births, marriages, and deaths must be recorded by civil authorities. Citizens without a fixed surname are required to choose one.
• 1815: The Kingdom of the Netherlands is established, uniting the northern and southern provinces.
• 1850: Population registers are introduced. These track household members and changes in address and status over time.
• Modern access: Many Dutch records, including parish and civil registration, are now digitized and available online through regional archives and platforms like WieWasWie.

Spain

• 1479: Spain is unified under Ferdinand and Isabella.
• 1564: Catholic parishes begin keeping baptism and marriage records following the Council of Trent.
• 1768 and 1787: Spain conducts national censuses that include names and other personal details.
• 1841: Some cities begin early civil registration.
• 1871: A nationwide civil registration system takes effect. Municipal civil registries begin recording births, marriages, and deaths.
• Modern access: Many Spanish provinces have begun digitizing both parish and civil records, often accessible through provincial archives or FamilySearch.

United Kingdom

• 1538: Parishes in England are required to record baptisms, marriages, and burials.
• 1653 to 1660: During the Commonwealth period, civil officials take over recordkeeping, but this ends with the monarchy’s return.
• 1801: The first national census is taken in England, Wales, and Scotland.
• 1837: Civil registration begins in England and Wales.
• 1841: The first detailed census listing each individual by name is conducted.
• 1855: Scotland begins its own civil registration.
• 1922: Ireland becomes independent, changing how records are managed in the South.
• 1939: A National Register is compiled at the start of World War II.
• Modern access: UK records are widely available online through archives and commercial sites, including full census releases up to 1921 (England and Wales) and 1911 (Scotland).

United States

• 1776: The United States declares independence.
• 1790: The first federal census is taken.
• 1850: Censuses begin listing every individual by name.
• Late 1800s to early 1900s: States begin to require registration of births and deaths.
• 1890: Most of the federal census is lost in a fire.
• 1935: Social Security is introduced.
• 1950: The most recent census currently available to the public is taken.
• Modern access: US records are held at the state or county level. Many have been digitized and are accessible through state archives and genealogy websites.