Zivilstandsregistern

Zivilstandsregister, sometimes called civil status registers, are official registries used in German-speaking countries to record a person’s vital events for legal and administrative purposes. They typically cover events such as births, marriages, registered partnerships, divorces, deaths, and changes of name or status (for example adoptions). In many jurisdictions, local civil registry offices (for example, Standesamt or Zivilstandsamt) are responsible for recording these events, with varying degrees of centralization at cantonal or national levels.

The registers serve as the legal basis for evidence of civil status and are used to issue official documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates. Extracts can usually be obtained by the individuals concerned or by authorized entities for official purposes, such as applying for passports, proving identity, or handling inheritance matters. Access to the data is restricted to those with a legitimate interest and is governed by data protection and privacy laws.

What is recorded typically includes names, dates and places of the events, parental information, nationality or citizenship, and current status or residence at the time of the event. Modern administrations increasingly digitize records and provide online access to authorized users, while still preserving original paper registers and ensuring data integrity through standardized procedures and interauthority data exchanges.

Zivilstandsregister differ from or coexist with Standesregister in terminology depending on the country or region, but both concepts relate to maintaining authoritative records of civil status for individuals. They are essential for legal certainty, population statistics, and genealogical research.