Antwerp COR-database

Links to website

Homepage - N/A

Get data - N/A

Introduction

Since 2003, the Leuven Research Group Family and Population Studies (FAPOS) has been building a database, which contains longitudinal and intergenerational data at the individual level. The database offers a unique combination of features. It spans nearly six decades (1846 to 1920) and consists of information drawn from the population registers of the district of Antwerp. All persons whose family name starts with the letter combination COR* are selected in this database. The Antwerp data base covers three generations and the members of these generations are linkrd. The data base contains extensive micro-data on individual life courses and family patterns, and is one of the few historical databases that contain this type of micro-level data in an urban environment.

Shortname

COR

IDS compatible

Yes

A first IDS version is available: IDS_release_2014.

Period

1846 - 1920

Territory

Antwerp district, Belgium

Category

Longitudinal

Contact information

Organisation

Family and Populations Studies (FaPOS), KU Leuven

Web Address

http://soc.kuleuven.be/web/home/6/30/eng

Location

Leuven, Belgium

Postal Address

Centrum voor Sociologisch Onderzoek (OE), Parkstraat 45 - bus 3601, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Contact Persons

Koen Matthijs

Koen.matthijs@soc.kuleuven.be

Questionnaire
Download questionnaire
The questionnaire was submitted on 13 March 2015 by Koen Matthijs & Paul Puschmann.

Scope / Status

Original goal

Construct a database with longitudinal demographic information about Flanders for the period 1846-1920. The main sources are population registers and vital registration of births, marriages and deaths.

Current status

A first version has been completed in 2010; the work was done in 2003-1010. The plan is to extend the database by summer 2016: the civil certificates for the whole area will be extended up to 1930.

Sample definition

Last name starting with ‘COR’ + kin of COR*- persons. Selection method: letter sample.

Geographic area under observation

Flanders, starting with the city of Antwerp and enlarging the geographical scope step by step.

Realized parts

A first version has been completed in 2010; the work was done in 2003-2010. The plan is to extend the database by summer 2016:the civil certificates for the whole area will be extended up to 1930.

Keywords

demography, life course, population registers, civil certificates, history, social science, genetics, migration, occupations, historical demography, longitudinal research, fertility, nuptiality, mortality, longevity, social mobility, intergenerational transmission of demographic behaviour, family patterns

Sources

From year	End year	Source	Explanation	PDF
1821	1906	Civil birth certificates	Covered for the period 1821-1906.	PDF
1806	1913	Civil marriage certificates	Marriages, which were contracted in the area as a whole are covered for the period 1806-1907; For Antwerp city and suburbs fully covered for the period 1806-1913.	PDF
1836	1906	Civil death certificates	Covered for the period 1836-1906.	PDF
1846	1920	Civil population registers	All registers from 1846 to 1910 are covered.	PDF
1846	1920	Migrations	All registered in- and out-migrations (based on population register information).	PDF

Collection procedure

• The data was collected and transcribed in 2003-2010.
• Data collection method: manual transcription was done individuals, mainly job students.
• Purpose of the transcription: scientific research.
• The checking of the transcription was done in 2003-2006: by proofreading, internal checks have been performed before the first release of February 2010 was launched. A second set of checks was carried out in 2014 before the database was converted to IDS.
• It was done after transcription and before the data was converted to IDS.
• Control methods by researcher: all kind of internal checks were carried out and standard procedures were followed in the case of inconsistencies between sources. E.g. if the marriage date in the register was different from the date in the marriage certificate, the date of the certificate was used, as it is more reliable.
• Data collection staff: 4 people specifically employed to enter data.

Observations

Units of observation

Unit of observation	Explanation	Number
Individuals	33,583 COR-persons.	33,583
Married couples	6,915 relations are declared as husband and wife in the source material.	6,915
Families	Number unspecified. Depends of what is considered as a family. The decisions are taken by the individual researcher. Families can be reconstructed with information on family relationships as specified in the INDIV-INDIV table.
Households	Depends of what is considered as a household. There are 14,537 unique addresses of households to which individuals in the data were assigned.	14,537

Are there any related observations that are not included in the database?

How do the units of observation enter observation?

• Individuals: Start of register, birth & in-migration. • Households: Start of register & in-migration.

How do the units of observation leave observation?

• Individuals: End of register, out-migration & death. • Households: End of register, out-migration, death of last person in the household.

Dates estimated

In the 2014 IDS-release estimates are made for unknown entry and exit dates.

Are some entry or exit dates unknown?

In- and out-migration is under-registered.

Can observations be linked to geographic locations?

Yes

To address information and municipal geocodes.

Are the dates and locations of movements within the observation area recorded?

Yes

In- and out-migration as residential moves within the municipalities. All moves contain information on origin, destination and dates are mostly recorded too.

Are all individuals who lived in the households of sample members recorded?

Partly

All, except for life cycle servant and apprentices, who were not COR-persons.

Linkage

• Which sources and units of observation have been linked? - Individuals are linked from one population register to the others, as well as too the vital registration of births, marriages and deaths.
• Documentation of linking: Semi-automatic, Access and Visual Basics.
• The rules of linking: First name, last name, birth year & birthplace.
• How each reconstructed person is traceable to the original sources /transcribed data? - Check digital photos of source material. Check reference of register and certificate information.
• How is linkage represented in the database? - Unique and universal ID number.
• Linkage percentage: Varies by type of link.
• Quality of linkage (own evaluation): Good.

Variables

Events

Type	Dated	Explanation
Birth	Partly	Dating depends on population register, from 1880 on mostly complete dates, in 1846 only dates for births, for other people is the age registered.
Marriage	Yes
Death	Yes
Migration	Yes
Corrections by the administration	Partly	Not all corrections are dated, but when dated, then the dates are complete.

Variables

First_name1, First_name2, Last_name 1, Last_name2, COR_Person, birth date, death date, sex, twin birth, stillbirth, legitimacy, marriage_date, occupation1, occupation1_HISCO, Occupation1_HISCO_STATUS, Occupation1_HISCO_Relation, occupation2, occupation2_HISCO, Occupation2_HISCO_STATUS, Occupation2_HISCO_Relation, marital status, place of birth, Address

Coding / Reference systems

Occupational titles: HISCO

Locations (including geo-referenced systems): NIS + addresses + city quarters (Antwerp city only). Individuals are linkable to city quarters through address information in a separate location table.

Data representation

The database is stored in Access.

Kinship relations

Recording

On the basis of the declared relationship between two individuals. In the case of the population registers based on the relationship with the head of household; in the case of marriage certificates the relationship is defined in relation to the bride and the groom.

Depth of information

Up to three generations.

Publications

1. Main publications about the database itself

Matthijs, K., & Moreels, S. (2010). The Antwerp COR*-database: a unique Flemish source for historical-demographic research. The History of the Family, 15(1), 109-115.
Van Baelen, H. (2007). Constructie van een historisch-demografische longitudinale database. Leuven: Centrum voor Sociologisch Onderzoek.
Mulder, de, W., & Neyrinck, W. (2014). Documentation construction IDS database with Antwerp COR*-data. WOG report Historical Demography WOG/HD/2014-1.

2. Main or exemplary publications on research based on the database

Vandezande, M., & Matthijs, K. (2013). Inherited dimensions of infant mortality. Detecting signs of disproportionate mortality risks in successive generations. The History of the Family, 18(2), 169-186.
Schumacher, R., Matthijs, K., & Moreels, S. (2013). Migration and reproduction in an urbanizing context. Family life courses in 19th century Antwerp and Geneva. Revue Quetelet, 1(1), 51-72.
Puschmann, P., Grönberg, P., Schumacher, R., & Matthijs, K. (2014). Access to Marriage and Reproduction among Migrants in Antwerp and Stockholm. A Longitudinal Approach to Processes of Social Inclusion and Exclusion, 1846-1926. The History of the Family, 19(1), 29-52.
Donrovich, R., Puschmann, P., & Matthijs, K. (2014). Rivalry, solidarity, and longevity among siblings: A life course approach to the impact of sibship composition and birth order on later life mortality risk, Antwerp (1846–1920). Demographic Research, 31, art.nr. 38, 1167-1198.
Puschmann, P., Van den Driessche, N., Grönberg, P., Van de Putte, B., & Matthijs, K. (2015). From outsiders to insiders? Partner choice and marriage among internal migrants in Antwerp, Rotterdam & Stockholm, 1850-1930. Historical Social Research 40 (2), 319-358.

European Historical Population Samples Network

Top menu

Databases

Links to website