S.O.S. Antwerp
Database of Causes of Death (1820-1946)
The database S.O.S. Antwerp contains a detailed description of all causes of death in the city of Antwerp from 1820 until 1946. Of each person who died in the city during this period, the cause of death and individual data from other sources were brought together for scientific and other research.
Infosheet
TTitle: S.O.S. Antwerp – Causes of Death Database
Author: Ghent University, Antwerp University, Felixarchief Antwerpen and Histories vzw
Population/Subject: Description of individual causes of death, of personal characteristics (name, sex, age, marital status, profession, parents) and of circumstances of death (date, address, mortician, doctor, care institution, etc.)
Region: City of Antwerp
Period: 1820-1946
Number of units: ca. 480.611 individuals who died on the historical territory of the city of Antwerp
Number of variables: 73
Format: CSV, XLS, PDF
Accessibility: No restrictions beyond the general terms of use of the Quetelet Center
Context of the databank
The database containing all deaths that occurred between 1820 and 1946 on the former territory of the city of Antwerp was developed by the citizen science project S.O.S. Antwerp Social Inequality in Mortality. For this project, the unique collection of death registers from this city were fully digitized, converted into a large-scale harmonized database and linked to other historical sources.
The input was done by volunteers under the supervision of employees of the Quetelet Center, who were also responsible for quality control. Part of the data was digitized via the input platform of Vele Handen.
S.O.S. Antwerp is a citizen science project funded by the Flemish government (Department of Economy, Science and Innovation). More info about the project is available on the website www.sosantwerpen.be.
What data can you find in this database?
The S.O.S. Antwerp database includes all persons who died on the former territory of the city between 1820 and 1946. The data is mainly based on the city death registers that have been preserved for the full period 1820-1946. No other city or municipality in Belgium has such a complete and comprehensive series. The registers mention for each deceased person the cause of death and various other data, such as age, sex, profession, marital status, the doctor who established the cause of death, the mortician and the place of burial. The data was systematically checked and supplemented with data on the address and parents using the death registers of the Civil Registry.
How can you use data from the database?
The database was developed for a variety of research purposes. Researchers will use the data to study mortality, disease, epidemics in relation to social inequality and other fundamental developments in the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century. The infrastructure can also be used for spatial research after linking with existing Geographical Information Systems. In addition, genealogists and non-professionals will be well served by the large amount of personal data that is made searchable for the first time.
The database was officially launched in April 2025. A user-friendly version can be found online on the website of the Felixarchief Antwerpen. Anyone wishing to use the data infrastructure can contact the Quetelet Center (Queteletcenter@ugent.be).
You can follow the status of the project at www.sosantwerpen.be.