Births, Marriages and Deaths

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This category contains articles on births, marriages and deaths etc. in Danish sources.

Vital Records in the Danish Parish Registers

Anders Buch-Jepsen

All vital records in Denmark—births, baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, and burials—are registed in parish registers (or church books). Unlike, for example, in England where a national civil registration began in 1837, there has never been a national registration of persons, and all vital records have always been recorded locally in each parish or by each religious community. In the Danish State Church entries are recorded by the local vicar with assistance from the parish clerk, and are therefore seperate for each of the about 2200 parishes.

Last Updated on Sunday, 04 January 2009 10:30

Deaths / Burials - further details

Anders Buch-Jepsen

Deaths and burials—also to be found in the parish registers—are usually recorded in a similar manner to those of births and marriages. There are, however, some variation from register to register as some registers only provide evidence of date and name of the deceased, whereas others list age, residence at time of death, course of death, and date of burial. The register also recorded still born and unnamed babies. You may find entries of course of death such as 'died from raging fever', ' died in child labor', 'lost at sea' or perhaps 'died of old age', and may bring your vital information as to how your ancestors lived and died.

Research at the Danish Archives

The parish registers (with information an deaths and burials are stored at the specific Regional Archive in Viborg, Aabenraa, Odense and Copenhagen. Microfische copies for all of Denmark until 1891 are available for study at all regional archives as well as the National State Archive in Copenhagen. Furthermore it is normal practice for the local archives (and some libraries) to obtain microfische copies of both parish registers and censuses concerning the specific area that they serve. Some archives also have printed indexes on a few of the provincial market towns, e.g. Århus, Aabenraa and Haderslev.

Research online

The best source for finding infromation of deaths and burials is the website arkivalieronline.dk where you can find copies of the original parish registers. Read the introduction in English, sign up, and you'll be able to download the copies directly to your pc. As these scanned images the actual parish registers you will, however, need to read the records in old handwriting as well as in Danish language, but you might be able to locate the records you are looking from the name and date alone.

Another important source is the Mormon Family History Centers in the USA and elsewhere have microfilms or microfische of all Danish birth, marriages and deaths etc. Many of these are available for online search at FamilySearch.org although records of deaths /burial are still few, and usually only listing dates, names, and places. To find information of cause of death or other notes you still need to take a look at the actual death and burial records.

Unfortunately there are not many vital records, especially records of deaths / burials, avilable for online search from Danish websites yet; you may, however, be able to find some that part of local projects covering a specific parish, and others are entered on voluntary basis on personal websites.

Last Updated on Monday, 15 June 2009 09:15

Marriage Records - further details

Anders Buch-Jepsen

All marriages are recorded chronologically in a separate record, and with the year listed at the top of each page. The specific entry usually starts by listing the date of marriage (day and month) followed by information on the bridegroom; often occupation, name, age, place of birth as well as the 'condition' (bachelor, widower etc.). Next comes the same information regarding the bride. Last entries are of the witnesses and possible notes.

Last Updated on Saturday, 16 January 2010 12:22

Births / Baptisms - further details

Anders Buch-Jepsen

All births in the parish registers are recorded chronologically, after 1814 often seperate for each gender and with the year listed at the top of each page. The specific entry usually start by listing the birth date (day and month) and the name of the child. This is followed by the baptismal date (whether in the church or at home). Next comes information on the parents; the occupation of the father, the father's name, the mother's maiden name and their place of residence, e.g. the name of a village or farmstead. Many registers also containes information on the mother's age at birth. Last entries are about the baptismal witnesses and possible notes (e.g. a date of vaccination).

Entries on male births in a parish register

The information found in the birth register enables the researcher to go back one generation further, by trying to locate the parents birth from the name and the approximate year of birth. The most obvious second steps are however to locate the entire family in the following census or to locate the marriage of the parents in the preceding years, and afterwards confirming these information in the parish registers.

Children born out of wedlock

In case of "an illegitimate child", the mother is recorded first, followed by the alleged father. Only few entries are noted with the word ["uægte"]. All parishioners were usually personally known to the vicar so all children where recorded in the birth register. A mother was penalized for failing to name the alleged father.

The full record may reveal important information

Some of the information recorded in the parish registers you will only find if you are working with the full record, e.g. a copy on mikrofiche or microfilm. You may find relatives and close friends of the family as wittnesses or perhaps an important place name; information which might give you important leads to your further research. When working with online transcripts, e.g. from FamilySearch.org, you should be aware that most of leave this additional—and sometimes importent—information out for various reasons, often listing only names and dates.

Birth certificates

Some researchers may want to search for birth certificates of their ancestors. In most cases birth certificates have been issued to the childs parents. These were made uniquely, so if it is lost, a copy cannot be obtained. However a copy of the specific entry in the parish register, similar to the example above, can always be made.

Last Updated on Saturday, 16 January 2010 12:27