View source for Belgium Notarial Records

=== Court and notarial records (Rechterlijke en notariële akten, Archives Judiciaires et registres notariaux) ===

Research use:  Excellent linkage source.  Records show vital information for individuals, families and relatives.  Records are the best back up source for church records when years are missing.

Record type:  Records of local courts regarding wills, contracts, marriages, inheritance, sale and transfer of property, annuities, mortgages, declarations of legal age, alderman and orphan’s chamber records.

Time Period:  1300-present.

Contents:  Wills, codicils, probates:  Testator’s names, heirs, witnesses, residences, dates, property descriptions, distributions, signatures.  Marriage contracts:  names, relatives, witnesses, dates, conditions, properties, signatures.  Divisions of estates and deeds:  heirs, sellers, buyers, witnesses, officials, residences, property descriptions, guardianship assignments for orphans, apprenticeships.  Alderman  records:  court actions, civil marriages, sureties, annuities, mortgages, powers of attorney, names, dates of events, witnesses, relationships.  Orphan’s chamber:  Will abstracts, authorizations, prospective guardians, acceptances, appointments, orphans’ names, parents, relatives, guardians, ages, residences.

Location:  Provincial, state, city, municipality archives.

Population coverage:  40%.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Belgium,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1987-1999.</ref>