Austrian genealogy involves the study of ancestors who originated from modern Austria or from other parts of Europe that were once under Austrian control.
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A brief history of Austria
For centuries Austria formed part of The Holy Roman Empire. This was the major political entity in the heart of Europe for three hundred years until the early 1800s.
The Austrian Empire existed from 1804 to 1867. At its maximum extent the Empire included Bohemia and Moravia (now part of Czechia), Galicia and Lodomeria (now split between Poland and Ukraine), Dalmatia (modern Croatia), Hungary, Slovenia, Transylvania (in current Romania), as well as Istria, the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca and Trieste (all part of modern Italy).
Between 1867 and 1918 Austria was part of a dual monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the Austrian Empire was a centralized state with direct governance from Vienna across its diverse lands, the Austro-Hungarian Empire involved significantly more autonomy to Hungary. This resulted in a more complex territorial and administrative structure. The Austrian half of this Empire was known as Cisleithania and included Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Tyrol, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Galicia, and Bukovina.
The period between the two World Wars resulted in significant political, economic and social change in Austria. The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire led to the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1918. It experienced enormous turmoil, setting the scene for Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany in March 1938 (the Anschluss). After a period of Allied administration post WWII modern Austria emerged in 1955, based on the principles of permanent neutrality and independence[1].
Regions of modern Austria
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Austria today is divided into nine federal states[2]:
- Vienna (Wien)
- Lower Austria (Niederösterreich): located in the northeast of the country
- Upper Austria (Oberösterreich): north-central
- Burgenland: southeast, bordering Hungary
- Styria (Steiermark): southeastern Austria
- Salzburg (Salzburg): central Austria
- Tyrol (Tirol): western Austria
- Carinthia (Kärnten): the southernmost state
- Vorarlberg: far west, bordering Switzerland and Germany
Before you start your research
It is difficult to obtain information about Austrian ancestors without some basic details such as the person’s full name, his/her place and date of birth and his/her religious affiliation. This is because there ere was no central residence registry in Austria before 2001 and historical Austrian records are typically kept at the town or parish level[3].
Before you start researching Austrian archival sources check that the person's birth of place is indeed located in present-day Austria, not in one of the successor states of the Austrian or Austro-Hungarian Empires. Old maps are a useful way to verify the current jurisdiction of ancestral towns that may have changed over time. If you have only a village name, you should try to identify the name of the significant town under whose administrative control it fell at your ancestor's time as this is most likely where relevant records are stored.
Also, you need to consider that the names of some geographic regions that formed part of Austria historically have changed[3]. For example:
- Illyria, which existed from 1816-1849, was split into Carniola, Carinthia and the Austrian Littoral.
- Istria, today part of Croatia, was formerly within the Austria Littoral and known as Küstenland.
- 20th century Sudetenland encompassed parts of former Czechoslovakia, covering Bohemia, Moravia and parts of Silesia.
A working knowledge of German is essential for most genealogical research in Austria. Finally bear in mind that record-keeping practices varied across different regions of Austria.
Key Austrian genealogical records and where to find them
The key source of information for Austrian genealogical research:
- Church Records are often the earliest records available, particularly for rural areas. They can include baptisms, marriages and deaths and burials. Try to identify the closest Lutheran, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, etc. parish church relevant to your ancestor's religion as these records will typically be held at the local church level. Note that in towns with small Jewish communities their records were kept by the local Roman Catholic Church[4].
- Civil Records were collected more systematically from the 19th century. Today these records are usually kept in local archives. They can include births, deaths, marriages and sometimes some census information.
- Military Records can be valuable for tracking individuals who served in the Austrian or Austro-Hungarian armies. For the period from 1938 to 1945, Austrian military records are most likely to be found as part of contemporary German military records.
- Census Records can provide information about individuals, families, and households. Historical maps and local libraries may also provide context for land ownership and changes over time.
- Land Records can be helpful for tracing property ownership and family connections.
- Notaries Public are legal professionals who may have records of various legal documents, including wills, contracts, and powers of attorney initiated by their clients.
- Jewish Community Records, for example those held in Synagogues, include details of births, marriages, deaths and other vital events for members of the Austrian Jewish community.
At the national level the primary repository for historical records in Austria dating back to the early Middle Ages, is the Austrian State Archives. It holds a wealth of genealogical information including many vital records (baptisms, marriages, deaths) collected from various church dioceses as well as military and administrative records from the Austro-Hungarian Empire period. An English version of the Archives' website is available.
While records available through the Austrian State Archives have largely been digitised in most of the other sources listed above records still only exist in physical format. This means the researcher -- or their appointed agent -- will need to inspect the records at the specific institution holding them.
Restrictions on access to genealogical records
There are also several restrictions and considerations when seeking access to Austrian genealogical information:
- Data Privacy Laws, such as the Europe-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), limit access to records of living individuals. This means that records of people born after a certain date (typically around the mid-20th century) may be restricted or require prior specific permission.
- Sensitive personal data, such as medical records or financial details, may be limited or redacted in records which are otherwise accessible.
- Limited opening hours and other Research Room restrictions, such as available seating at many institutions holding records, can limit access even when a personal visit is possible.
- Document search and copying fees may apply, especially for specialised research or large-scale requests.
- Spelling variations can complicate family research. The spelling of Austrian surnames was only regularised towards the end of the 19th century. Before that names were written down according to their sounds, reflecting the way in which the writer heard and understood them. Spelling of both first and surnames was inconsistent. The Austrian Society for Research on Genealogy and Regional Heritage provides links to articles (in German) which provide detailed information on this issue.
Explore more about Austrian genealogy
As with all genealogical research the first place to look for all MyHeritage subscribers for Austrian genealogy is MyHeritage's vast repository of historical records and other resources.
MyHeritage contains over 33 million Austrian records in 15 collections. The collections include a wide range of church records from different sources (including Jewish); land records; articles from national, regional and local Austrian newspapers spanning more than 200 years; and even records of children who were surrendered by their parents to the Vienna Foundling Home in Austria between the years 1784 and 1841.
Legacy Family Tree Webinars offers several webinars useful for Austrian genealogy research including What's New in Austrian and Czech Jewish Genealogy and Tracing Your European Ancestors.
Other free online resources:
- GenTeam is an online gazetteer focused on Central European genealogy, including Austria. It contains over 18 million records, making it a valuable resource for finding ancestors and family connections. Individual records typically provide the name of the church parish, the year the records begin, and which archive holds the records. In some cases, there is a link to the archive’s website. Information accessible through the website is free, however prior registration is required. You'll find a useful guide on how to use GenTeam here.
- Matricula provides free online access to vital records held in church registers across a number of European countries, including Austria. The records take the form of images of actual church registry books rather than a searchable database so patience in deciphering old German handwriting is required. Nevertheless, the platform is particularly useful for genealogical research before civil registration began in 1938.
- The Austrian Land Register (Grundbuch) is a comprehensive record of property transactions in Austria, containing both current and historical data. It is maintained by district courts and can be accessed through courts, notaries, lawyers, and designated firms known as Verrechnungsstellen. To access historical extracts, you will need to provide specific information such as the "cadastral" municipality number (representing the physical delineation of property boundaries) and the entry number or plot number. While some data is available electronically, older records may only be accessible in paper format.
As already emphasised the country location and even names of many places relevant to Austrian genealogy research have changed greatly over time. The U.S. Library of Congress provides a valuable research guide covering Cartographic Resources for Genealogical Research in Eastern Europe and Russia, including Austria. These are drawn from the collections of the Library's Geography and Map Division.
Finally, an Internet search will identify numerous books and academic papers that provide insights into genealogical research methodologies specific to Austria. Some are available in electronic format online, while others can be found in libraries or through genealogical societies with a focus on Austria or the former Austrian Empires.
References
- ↑ Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, December 10). Austria. Wikipedia.
- ↑ Wikimedia Foundation. (2024b, November 24). Federal States of Austria. Wikipedia.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024, November 6). Austria-Hungary. Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ↑ Österreich, A. der R. (n.d.). Family and genealogical research. BMEIA.