How to find your Norwegian ancestors
In this section
In this section
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The database of gravestone inscriptionsThe gravestone register is a unique tool to help you find relatives buried during the last century, a period where privacy legislation in Norway restricts access to censuses and parish records. -
How to perform a search on the Digital Archives’ websiteThe following steps will help you perform a general search of the complete collection: -
How to perform a search in Norwegian census recordsAn example of how to perform a search in census records, which are one of our most important sources of genealogical information. -
Church recordsParish records from the Lutheran church are the main source of vital records (known in the UK as BMDs) in Norway from the 1600s up to the 1930s. But what does a parish record contain and how can it help you learn about your ancestor’s life? -
The National Library of NorwayThe National Library is responsible for collecting and preserving copies of all publications in Norway, in accordance with the Legal Deposit Act. -
A list of Norwegian photographic databasesOld photos are an important source of information about the past. Maybe you can find some of your kin in one of these databases? -
How to perform a search in the Digital MuseumThe Digital Museum (known as DigitaltMuseum in Norwegian) is an online photo gallery containing photos from almost all Norwegian museums. -
This is how you find information about the places your ancestors/family have lived atYou can easily find the history of a property at home from your own living room, and in this article we will show you two websites where you can find this information. -
Village histories and genealogiesVillage histories and published genealogies give information about the inhabitants of a village or the history of a specific family. -
Where are the records to be found and what you may find in the various archives?In order to find information about our ancestors, we have to make use of various archives. Here you can find some information about Norwegian archives and privacy legislation. -
Restrictions on access to historical records due to privacy legislationPublic access to many historical records is restricted for a certain number of years. Here is an overview of the basic rules applicable to the main sources of genealogical information. -
The long lines of emigration to the USIt is the early 1800’s. uncertainty about the future, a village starting to overcrowd and unfair laws impact many Norwegians’ daily lives. Suddenly, there is a solution. A new country no one had heard of before, where you can start off fresh and live a life of freedom, the USA. Close to a million Norwegian would over time start a new future there. -
How to find people that changed their name when they moved to the US?Many people using genealogy in relation to the US find out that their ancestors changed their name when they arrived to their new home. Here you will find some typical name changes, and some tips for how to find those that performed these changes. -
Norwegian naming traditionsIt’s useful for your research to know something about naming traditions in Norway -
Some historical background about the development of personal and place namesIt is important for family historians to know something about naming traditions. This article will tell you about the historical development of surnames, name suffixes and place names in Norway up to modern times. -
Sources to seafarersMany Norwegians have seafarers in their family. Here you can find an overview of where you can find them in the sources. -
Sources of information about your female ancestorsThese records may shed some light on the lives of your foremothers -
Our Fallen OnesA database of information on the 11,893 men and women who fell for Norway in the second world war. -
Search over 50,000 genealogical resourcesThe Genealogy Society of Norway has a collection of categorized links to genealogical resources in Norway, called GENRESS, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, with over 500,000 links.