Old Records

Inspection of Records - Genealogy

All parishes in the Archdiocese of Vienna are empowered to administer their archives so that records can be inspected at the local office. In general, permission is not required from the Bishop’s Office in order to conduct genealogical research, which is defined in the Civil Status Act as ‘the reconstruction of one’s direct ancestors’. In the case of scientific research, on the other hand, permission must be obtained in writing from the Bishop’s Office. Such permission is initially granted for one year, and the purpose of the investigation must be clearly documented by the researcher.

For further details please contact:
Matrikenreferat der Erzdiözese Wien, Wollzeile 2, A–1010 Vienna
Tel.: 0043 / 1 / 51 552-3242

Old Records’ in St. Stephen’s:

Registers of baptisms: from 1585
Registers of marriages: from 1542
Registers of deaths: from 1523
Registers of funerals: from 1663
The 1983 Civil Status Act (Federal Law Gazette 60/1983) is the basic statutory instrument which regulates genealogy in Austria. Its most important provisions can be studied at 

www.dsp.at/dasp/doc/bestimmungen.html

Further information and rules governing the use of the archives at St. Stephen’s can also be obtained from the joint Internet site of the Austrian Church Archives’ office: http://www.kirchenarchive.at

Inspection of old records in St. Stephen’s:
Thursdays, 1 pm - 3 pm, and after prior registration.