One factor for oddities in the early 1800s could be the aftermath of the French Revolution spreading turmoil into other states of Europe. As the French alternately conquered, allied, switched allies, replaced rulers of various areas, there WAS an effect on record keeping. In many areas which had not kept civil records, the practice was introduced by the French. I wrote for some records from Belheim (now Pfalz) on the Rhine river. The oldest one (1803 as I recall) was written in French. The later ones were in German (Napoleon having met his Waterloo) - But the same German name had signed all of them. So - Yes! A lot of changes could have happened / not happened! Barbara Feigel Rice Griess - Bretz - Decker - Biedenkopf - Rothenburg - (Hessen) Rimstidt - Luhlman - (Neidersachen)