The family register was a register of civil status created ex officio after every marriage in Germany and kept at the competent registry office. It contained information on the spouses, the dates of marriage, the names of the spouses, parents and children of the spouses and on the termination of the marriage. The family book should not be confused with the family record book, which is owned by the family and contains a collection of documents (marriage certificates, birth certificates, death certificates).

With the entry into force of the amendment to the Personal Status Act on January 1, 2009, the creation of the family register has been discontinued.
The family registers created up to 31 December 2008 are continued as marriage entries in accordance with Section 77 (2) of the Personal Status Act and are located at the registry office where the marriage was concluded.