Hungarian Record Sources

There are numerous record sources in which Hungarian ancestors left their legacy, but there are four that form the basics.

• Church records Some descriptions of the basic types of ecclesiastical records and their content are noted. Ecclesiastical records are the primary source for pre-1895 research in Hungary.
• Civil registration Civil registration began in 1895, wherein the government began a system of keeping their own copy of births, marriages and deaths, regardless of religious affiliation. 
• Census Records/Tax Lists Census Records that have survived for Hungary and the surrounding countries are few, but those that exist can be of help in a variety of ways.
• Military Records Military participation has been required of most males in Hungary.
• Gazetteers