Language: Hungarian
Part of Speech: Noun phrase (compound noun)
Literal Meaning: “Civil registration office” or “Registry office”
Anyakönyv: register of births, marriages, and deaths (literally “mother book”)
Hivatal: office, bureau
The government office responsible for maintaining and issuing civil vital records in Hungary. These offices record and store births, marriages, deaths, and other civil status changes. They replaced church recordkeeping as the primary source for vital statistics in Hungary starting October 1, 1895.
Examples in Record
- “Az anyakönyvi hivatalnál bejegyezve” (Registered at the registry office)
- “Anyakönyvi hivatal vezetője” (Head of the registry office)
- “Budapest V. kerületi anyakönyvi hivatal” (Budapest District V Registry Office)
Common Variants
- “Állami anyakönyv” (State registry)
- “Polgári anyakönyv” (Civil registry)
- “Anyakönyvvezető hivatala” (Registrar’s office)
Tips for Researchers
Records from these offices are typically more standardized than earlier church records. For events before October 1895, consult church records instead. District offices in larger cities, such as Budapest, maintain their own separate collections. Modern certificates can often be requested from current anyakönyvi hivatals for a fee.
Mini-Dictionary
- születési anyakönyv: birth register
- házassági anyakönyv: marriage register
- halotti anyakönyv: death register
- anyakönyvi kivonat: registry extract/certificate
- bejegyzés: entry/registration
- anyakönyvvezető: registrar