Sources for researching people in the 1900s

Researching people in the 1900s in the Netherlands can be hard because of privacy regulations. Records of people born less than 100 years ago are usually restricted. Here are some other options for research.

• Family papers
  Your family may have papers about recent family members, such as marriage booklets or prayer cards.
• Newspapers 
  Check the newspaper website Delpher for newspaper articles. Births, marriages, and deaths were always announced by the municipality in the newspaper, though very short. Family announcements in newspapers may have more information.
• Personal record cards
  For people who died in the Netherlands after 1938, you can order a personal record card.
• Address books and phone books
  Address books and phone books can often be found in libraries or archives in the region. Some of them are available online. The 1915 phone book and 1950 phone book are online for the whole country. You can also search the current phone book.
• Published genealogies
  Some published genealogies, especially those written before the modern privacy laws, may include information on recent generations. You can check the “Genealogisch Repertorium” at the Central Bureau for Genealogy’s library website to see what books have been published about the family name you’re researching.
• Request access to records that aren’t public yet
  If the records you need aren’t public yet, it may be possible to get access to them if you have permission of the persons involved or proof of death. Read how to access records that aren’t public.

Please check the Digital Resources of the Netherlands and Belgium page for links to sources specific for the region you’re looking for.

Grandchildren of Cornelis Trouw and Maria Gommeren, 1920s