Where these terms come from
Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 created multilingual standard forms for civil status documents: birth, life, death, marriage, marital status, registered partnership and absence of a criminal record. Each form has the same numbered fields in every official language, so field 4.1 of the birth form is "Surname(s)" in English, "Familienname(n)" in German and "Nazwisko(-a)" in Polish. That makes the forms the most reliable bilingual source for civil status vocabulary. The forms are a translation aid attached to the public document; they do not replace it.
Type of document
Section 3 of each form names the kind of public document the form is attached to.
| English | DE | PL | CS | SK | FR | NL | IT | ES | PT | RO | HU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Court decision | Gerichtsentscheidung | Orzeczenie sądowe | Rozhodnutí soudu | Súdne rozhodnutie | Décision de justice | Rechterlijke beslissing | Decisione giurisdizionale | Resolución judicial | Decisão judicial | Hotărâre judecătorească | Bírósági határozat |
| Certificate | Bescheinigung | Zaświadczenie | Osvědčení | Osvedčenie | Certificat | Certificaat | Certificato | Certificado | Certidão ou certificado | Certificat | Tanúsítvány/bizonyítvány |
| Extract from the Civil Status Register | Auszug aus dem Personenstandsregister | Odpis skrócony aktu stanu cywilnego | Výpis z matriky | Výpis z registra osobného stavu | Extrait du registre de l’état civil | Uittreksel uit het register van de burgerlijke stand | Estratto di atto di stato civile | Extracto del registro civil | Extrato de atos do registo civil | Extras din registrul de stare civilă | Anyakönyvi kivonat |
| Verbatim copy of civil status records | Wörtliche Kopie von Personenstandseinträgen | Odpis zupełny aktu stanu cywilnego | Opis matričních záznamů | Doslovný výpis zo zápisov o osobnom stave | Copie intégrale d’actes de l’état civil | Eensluidend afschrift van akten van de burgerlijke stand | Copia letterale di atto di stato civile | Copia literal de actas del registro civil | Certidão de cópia integral ou de narrativa de atos de registo civil | Copie exactă a unui act de stare civilă | Anyakönyvi bejegyzés szó szerinti másolata |
| Extract from the Population Register | Auszug aus dem Melderegister | Wyciąg z rejestru ludności | Výpis z registru obyvatel | Výpis z registra obyvateľov | Extrait du registre de la population | Uittreksel uit het bevolkingsregister | Estratto anagrafico | Extracto del censo | Extrato do registo da população | Extras din registrul de evidență a populației | Kivonat a személyiadat- és lakcímnyilvántartásból |
| Notarial act | Notarielle Urkunde | Akt notarialny | Notářská listina | Notárska listina | Acte notarié | Notariële akte | Atto notarile | Acta notarial | Ato notarial | Act notarial | Közjegyzői okirat |
- An extract is not a full copy. The forms list them as two different documents: "Extract from the Civil Status Register" and "Verbatim copy of civil status records". In Polish that is odpis skrócony against odpis zupełny, in French extrait against copie intégrale, in Italian estratto against copia letterale, in Spanish extracto against copia literal. Translate the type that is printed, not the one you expect.
- Population register is a different register. An extract from the population register (Melderegister, estratto anagrafico, extracto del censo) records residence. It is not a civil status document, even when it shows a date of birth.
- German Personenstandsurkunde is the umbrella term. Under § 55 of the German Civil Status Act it covers Geburtsurkunde, Eheurkunde, Sterbeurkunde, Lebenspartnerschaftsurkunde and beglaubigter Registerausdruck. Render it as "civil status certificate", not as "birth certificate".
The person: birth and death
| English | DE | PL | CS | SK | FR | NL | IT | ES | PT | RO | HU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surname(s) | Familienname(n) | Nazwisko(-a) | Příjmení | Priezvisko(-á) | Nom(s) | Achterna(a)m(en) | Cognome/i | Apellido(s) | Apelido(s) | Nume | Családi neve(i) |
| Forename(s) | Vorname(n) | Imię (imiona) | Jméno (jména) | Meno(-á) | Prénom(s) | Voorna(a)m(en) | Nome/i | Nombre(s) | Nome(s) próprio(s) | Prenume | Utóneve(i) |
| Date of birth | Geburtsdatum | Data urodzenia | Datum narození | Dátum narodenia | Date de naissance | Geboortedatum | Data di nascita | Fecha de nacimiento | Data de nascimento | Data nașterii | Születési ideje |
| Place and country of birth | Ort und Land der Geburt | Miejsce i państwo urodzenia | Místo a země narození | Miesto a štát narodenia | Lieu et pays de naissance | Geboorteplaats en –land | Luogo e paese di nascita | Lugar y país de nacimiento | Local e país de nascimento | Locul și țara nașterii | Születési helye és országa |
| Sex | Geschlecht | Płeć | Pohlaví | Pohlavie | Sexe | Geslacht | Sesso | Sexo | Sexo | Sexul | Neme |
| Date of death | Datum des Todes | Data zgonu | Datum úmrtí | Dátum úmrtia | Date du décès | Datum van overlijden | Data di decesso | Fecha de fallecimiento | Data do óbito | Data decesului | Halálesetének ideje |
| Place and country of death | Ort und Land des Todes | Miejsce i państwo zgonu | Místo a země úmrtí | Miesto a štát úmrtia | Lieu et pays du décès | Plaats en land van overlijden | Luogo e paese di decesso | Lugar y país de fallecimiento | Local e país do óbito | Locul și țara decesului | Halálesetének helye és országa |
The forms keep surname and forename apart in every language, including where the source document prints them in one line. Keep the order of the source and the spelling of the passport.
Marriage: three different surnames
| English | DE | PL | CS | SK | FR | NL | IT | ES | PT | RO | HU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of the marriage | Datum der Eheschließung | Data zawarcia małżeństwa | Datum uzavření manželství | Dátum uzavretia manželstva | Date du mariage | Datum van het huwelijk | Data di matrimonio | Fecha del matrimonio | Data de casamento | Data căsătoriei | A házasságkötés ideje |
| Place and country of marriage | Ort und Land der Eheschließung | Miejsce i państwo zawarcia małżeństwa | Místo a země uzavření manželství | Miesto a štát uzavretia manželstva | Lieu et pays du mariage | Plaats en land van het huwelijk | Luogo e paese di matrimonio | Lugar y país del matrimonio | Local e país de casamento | Locul și țara căsătoriei | A házasságkötés helye és országa |
| Surname(s) at birth | Familienname(n) bei der Geburt | Nazwisko(-a) rodowe | Rodné/á příjmení | Rodné priezvisko(-á) | Nom(s) à la naissance | Achterna(a)m(en) bij de geboorte | Cognome/i alla nascita | Apellido(s) de nacimiento | Apelido(s) à data do nascimento | Numele la naștere | Születési családi neve(i) |
| Surname(s) before the marriage | Familienname(n) vor der Eheschließung | Nazwisko(-a) przed zawarciem małżeństwa | Příjmení před uzavřením manželství | Priezvisko(-á) pred uzavretím manželstva | Nom(s) avant le mariage | Achterna(a)m(en) vóór het huwelijk | Cognome/i prima del matrimonio | Apellido(s) antes de contraer matrimonio | Apelido(s) antes do casamento | Numele înainte de căsătorie | Családi neve(i) a házasságkötés előtt |
| Surname(s) following the marriage | Familienname(n) nach der Eheschließung | Nazwisko(-a) po zawarciu małżeństwa | Příjmení po uzavření manželství | Priezvisko(-á) po uzavretí manželstva | Nom(s) à la suite du mariage | Achterna(a)m(en) na het huwelijk | Cognome/i dopo il matrimonio | Apellido(s) después de contraer matrimonio | Apelido(s) após o casamento | Numele după căsătorie | Családi neve(i) a házasságkötés után |
"Surname at birth" and "surname before the marriage" are separate fields because they differ for anyone who has been married before. Do not merge them into one "maiden name". Polish nazwisko rodowe is the surname at birth.
Copies, legalisation, apostille
| English | DE | PL | CS | SK | FR | NL | IT | ES | PT | RO | HU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public document | öffentliche Urkunde | dokument urzędowy | veřejná listina | verejná listina | document public | openbaar document | documento pubblico | documento público | documento público | document oficial | közokirat |
| Certified copy | beglaubigte Kopie | kopia poświadczona za zgodność z oryginałem | ověřená kopie | osvedčený odpis | copie certifiée conforme | voor eensluidend gewaarmerkt afschrift | copia autentica | copia certificada | cópia certificada | copie certificată | hiteles másolat |
| Legalisation | Legalisation | legalizacja | legalizace | vyššie overenie | légalisation | legalisatie | legalizzazione | legalización | legalização | legalizare | felülhitelesítés |
| Apostille | Apostille | apostille | apostila | apostila | apostille | apostille | apostille | apostilla | apostila | apostila | Apostille |
| Absence of a criminal record | Vorstrafenfreiheit | brak wpisu do rejestru karnego | neexistence záznamu v rejstříku trestů | neexistencia záznamu v registri trestov | absence de casier judiciaire | afwezigheid van een strafblad | assenza di precedenti penali | ausencia de antecedentes penales | inexistência de registo criminal | absența cazierului judiciar | büntetlen előélet |
| Date of issue | Ausstellungsdatum | Data wydania | Datum vydání | Dátum vydania | Date de délivrance | Datum van afgifte | Data di rilascio | Fecha de expedición | Data de emissão | Data emiterii | A kiállítás dátuma |
| Reference number of the public document | Kennnummer der öffentlichen Urkunde | Numer referencyjny dokumentu urzędowego | Referenční číslo veřejné listiny | Referenčné číslo verejnej listiny | Numéro de référence du document public | Referentienummer van het openbaar document | Numero di riferimento del documento pubblico | Número de referencia del documento público | Número de referência do documento público | Numărul de referință al documentului oficial | A közokirat hivatkozási száma |
| Signature | Unterschrift | Podpis | Podpis | Podpis | Signature | Handtekening | Firma | Firma | Assinatura | Semnătura | Aláírás |
| Seal or stamp | Siegel oder Stempel | Pieczęć lub stempel | Pečeť nebo razítko | Pečať alebo odtlačok pečiatky | Sceau ou timbre | Zegel of stempel | Bollo o timbro | Sello o timbre | Selo ou carimbo | Sigiliul sau ștampila | Pecsét vagy bélyegzőlenyomat |
- Certified copy has a legal definition. Article 3(7) of the Regulation: a copy signed and attested as an exact and complete reproduction by an authority empowered under national law. A plain copy is not a certified copy. Watch the wording: in Slovak it is osvedčený odpis, in Dutch voor eensluidend gewaarmerkt afschrift, in Polish kopia poświadczona za zgodność z oryginałem.
- Legalisation and apostille are not the same step. Legalisation certifies the signature, the capacity of the signatory and the seal (Article 3(3)). The apostille is the "similar formality" of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 (Article 3(4)). Neither certifies the content of the document. The Slovak vyššie overenie and the Hungarian felülhitelesítés mean legalisation, not "verification".
- The apostille title is always in French. Article 4 of the Convention: the certificate may be in the language of the issuing authority, but the title "Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)" is in French. Translate the rest; the title stays.
- Certified translation in the Regulation. The Polish text speaks of uwierzytelnione tłumaczenia and the Hungarian of hiteles fordítás where other language versions say simply "translations" (Article 3(5)). Same concept, different wording.
Diplomas
| English | DE | PL | CS | SK | FR | NL | IT | ES | PT | RO | HU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diploma Supplement | Diplomzusatz | suplement do dyplomu | dodatek k diplomu | dodatok k diplomu | supplément au diplôme | diplomasupplement | supplemento al diploma | suplemento de diploma | suplemento ao diploma | suplimentul la diplomă | oklevél-kiegészítés |
These are the names used in the Europass decision (EU) 2018/646. Universities do not always use the same title: some print the English "Diploma Supplement" on a document written in the national language. Translate the title as it is printed on the document.
Ukrainian and Russian documents
| English | Ukrainian | Russian |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Свідоцтво про народження | Свидетельство о рождении |
| Marriage certificate | Свідоцтво про шлюб | Свидетельство о заключении брака |
| Death certificate | Свідоцтво про смерть | Свидетельство о смерти |
| Extract from the State Register of Civil Status Acts | Витяг з Державного реєстру актів цивільного стану громадян | — |
| Surname | Прізвище | Фамилия |
| Forename | Ім'я | Имя |
| Patronymic | По батькові | Отчество |
| Date of birth | Дата народження | Дата рождения |
| Apostille | Апостиль | Апостиль |
- The patronymic has no field in the EU forms. Keep it as a patronymic. Do not attach it to the surname and do not drop it: the person is identified by all three names in the source.
- A certificate can be issued again. Ukrainian law provides for re-issuing civil status certificates. The issue date on such a certificate is later than the registration date; translate both dates as printed.
Using the glossary with Lingverra
Lingverra produces a precise translation of the scan in the layout of the original and renders these terms the way the target country uses them. Passages it is unsure about are flagged, so you go straight to them, check them and sign. The estimate and the invoice to your client are made in the same place. The first 5 pages of translation and 5 estimates are free.