Historical Dutch Population Records Linked to Modern Registers

This dataset links historical life trajectories from the Historical Sample of the Netherlands (HSN) for individuals born between 1812 and 1922 to contemporary outcomes in the System of Social statistical Datasets (SSD). It represents a Proof of Concept linkage, with a revised strategy successfully linking 77% of linkable HSN records. The linkage is based on matching birth dates of the individual, father, and mother, marriage date, and sex.

Use Cases

• Analyze intergenerational social mobility by linking historical HSN life trajectories to modern SSD socioeconomic outcomes.
• Validate and refine record linkage methodologies using the combination of three birth dates (ego, father, mother), date of marriage, and sex as matching keys.
• Study the standardization and linkage of written (HSN) and coded (SSD) places of birth for historical demographic research.
• Investigate the success rate of the linking strategy, which connected 77% of linkable HSN records, to assess data completeness for longitudinal studies.

Strengths

• Provides a validated linkage between two major Dutch databases, HSN and SSD, enabling unique longitudinal studies.
• The linking strategy achieved a 77% success rate for linkable HSN records, indicating substantial coverage.
• Covers a long historical period, with HSN data for persons born from 1812 to 1922.

Limitations

• The dataset is a Proof of Concept, so its scope and completeness for full population analysis may be limited.
• Linkage is based on historical records which may contain inaccuracies or missing data for the matching keys (birth dates, marriage date).
• The temporal coverage is discontinuous, with historical data ending in 1922 and modern register data beginning much later, creating a gap.

Provenance

Source

Historical Sample of the Netherlands (HSN) and the System of Social statistical Datasets (SSD) from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Collection Method

Proof of Concept linkage established by matching on birth dates of ego, father, and mother, date of marriage, and sex, with validation and refinement of non-unique links.

Time Range

HSN covers persons born from 1812 to 1922; SSD covers contemporary periods.

Freshness

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Geography

The Netherlands.