Tips on using confirmation records
I have been browsing Hessian Protestant confirmation records (namely the 1673-1714 confirmation register of Eckartshausen) and I am encountering some difficulty. I would appreciate some advice.
The issues I am facing are:
- No more information than the name and confirmation year are given, and
- Some names are repeated.
As an example of point 2, the name Joh. Georg Reipert is listed twice on one particular page, once along with his mother (simply "u. Mutter") and the other one with his wife (simply. "u. Frau"). This same name is also given a further two times in other entries from the same year., despite the fact that the surname "Reipert" does not appear often in these records; I have only found two other Reiperts in the same year as this document (1735).
What I would like to know is:
- Do you think it is likely that these numerous Joh. Georg Reiperts are one person, or can I be confident that they are different people?
- Was there a typical age for people to be confirmed? (e.g. is it likely for someone born in 1691 to be recorded with those being confirmed in 1735?)
- Do you have any tips on drawing meaningful information from these records? I was thinking of making a list of the names found and trying to match them to entries from other kinds of records and to the people already in my family tree based on when they were confirmed (which would depend on the answer to question 2). Does that seem reasonable?
Danke im Voraus!
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Hello @ATJones,
Your Question 2: In Protestant churches people were typically confirmed at the age of 13, 14, or 15. I usually assume 14 years old and then try to find a birth/baptismal record aspproximately 14 years earlier.
Your Question 3: Yes, your research methodology is reasonable.
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Thank you very much! :)
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You're very welcome, @ATJones.
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Sometimes the confirmands had adult sponsors. Without seeing the records you're referring to, I wonder if it's possible that Johann Georg Reipert is being listed as the adult sponsor?
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