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Death records in Moldova are invaluable for understanding the country’s demographic history, genealogical connections, and societal evolution. Navigating Moldovan death records requires understanding the historical context and linguistic shifts. Records from earlier periods may be found in Old Church Slavonic, Romanian, or Russian languages, necessitating familiarity with Cyrillic and Latin scripts. Additionally, Moldova’s history of shifting borders means that researchers should identify the administrative authority governing the region during the time of interest. Moldova's history is marked by shifting powers and borders. In the 14th century, the region became the independent Principality of Moldova, but by the early 16th century, it became a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire. Moldova retained some autonomy under Ottoman rule but faced conflicts with the Russian Empire. In 1812, the eastern part, Bessarabia, was ceded to Russia. After World War I, Bessarabia briefly united with Romania but was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, becoming the Moldavian SSR. Moldova gained independence in 1991.
Modern death records hold the following information:
- Date of death
- Name of deceased
- Names of parents
- Occupation and religious preference of parents
- Residence of the deceased
- Age at death
- Cause of death
- Place of burial in death records
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History of death records on Moldova
The tradition of recording deaths in Moldova dates back to the region's time under the Ottoman Empire, when such records were primarily the responsibility of the Orthodox Church. Parish priests maintained metrical books, which chronicled baptisms, marriages, and deaths. These early records were written in Old Church Slavonic or Romanian using the Cyrillic script. After Bessarabia’s annexation by the Russian Empire in 1812, the administration continued this practice, with records often transitioning to Russian. These documents were essential for both ecclesiastical and administrative purposes, marking major life events of individuals. Vital events like births, deaths, baptisms, and marriages were recorded by churches in parish registers, with the earliest surviving records dating back to 1810 (Corlăteanu-Granciuc, 2008).[1]
In the interwar period, when Bessarabia was under Romanian control, civil registration was formalized, and records were kept in Romanian using the Latin alphabet. From 1918 to 1940, under Romanian rule, the region transitioned to Romania's system of civil registration for deaths. This system persisted until the Soviet period (1940–1991). Following its incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1940 as the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR), Moldova adopted the Soviet model for death registration. Civil registration was centralized, and records were standardized and maintained in both Russian and Romanian. Since Moldova’s independence in 1991, death records have been recorded predominantly in Romanian, continuing the structured, state-controlled civil registration system. After gaining independence in 1991, Moldova introduced its own civil registration regulations. Meanwhile, the eastern region of Transnistria, with about 14% of Moldova's population, declared independence in 1990. Moldova rejected this claim, offering Transnistria autonomous status instead, which was refused, leading to armed conflict in 1992.[2]
Finding Death Records
Death records from Moldova can be accessed through various institutions, each reflecting a specific historical period:
National Archives in Moldova
The National Archives in Chișinău hold extensive collections of historical death records, including metrical books from churches and civil registration documents from different eras. These archives are the primary repository for genealogical and historical research.
Regional Archives
Local archives often hold older records tied to specific communities or parishes. These can provide more detailed insights into localized events and are particularly useful for pre-20th century research.
Church Records
Parish archives remain a critical source for early death records, especially for those before the establishment of state civil registration systems. Orthodox churches in Moldova often preserved metrical books, which can still be consulted for genealogical research.
Civil Registration Offices
For more recent records (typically less than 100 years old), researchers must approach local civil registration offices directly. Due to privacy laws, access to these records may be restricted to close relatives or require proof of relationship.