For Week 14 of #52Ancestors
There’s something uniquely challenging and rewarding about researching ancestors who spoke a language different from your own. As someone who has spent countless hours poring over Swedish church records, I’ve developed a love-hate relationship with the beautiful, flowing handwriting of 19th-century Swedish parish priests—and the language barriers that come with it.
Lost in Translation
When I first began my Swedish ancestry journey, I felt like I was trying to solve a puzzle while blindfolded. Those initial documents from ArkivDigital were intimidating walls of unfamiliar words in unfamiliar handwriting, like the image above. I remember staring at the screen, trying to decipher whether I was looking at a birth record, death record, or perhaps a household examination record. Was that squiggle a name? A place? A notation about legitimacy?
As I shared in my previous posts about chasing my Swedish roots, my biggest breakthrough came when investigating my great-grandfather Sven Svensson’s birth record from 1867 in Näsum parish. I’ll never forget the moment I finally deciphered the entry. There, in beautiful but challenging handwriting with its distinctive loops and flourishes, was his mother’s name—Sissa Andersdotter—and that single Swedish word after her child’s name that would dramatically reshape our family story: “oäkta”—illegitimate.
The excitement of translating that birth record was like solving a mystery that had been locked away for generations. I discovered that not only was Sven born out of wedlock, but there were notations about a “förlikning” (settlement) and a reference to another page in the household examination book. Following these breadcrumbs through multiple records, each requiring careful translation, ultimately led me to Sven Mattisson—my previously unknown great-great-grandfather!
A Genealogist’s Mini Swedish Vocabulary
Over time, I’ve developed what I jokingly call my “Swedish genealogy survival kit”—a mental dictionary of essential terms that help me navigate these records. While I’m far from fluent, I’ve learned to recognize key words and phrases that signal important life events:
- Födelse och döpte (birth and christening): Looking for ancestral birthplaces? These records are crucial. I spent countless hours searching through the “födelselängd” (birth records) of Näsum parish to find Sven’s 1867 birth entry, learning to recognize column headings like “barnets namn” (child’s name) and “föräldrar” (parents).
- Husförhörslängder and Församlingsböcker (household examination records and congregation books): These incredible documents track families over 5-10 years and contain a wealth of details. The traditional husförhörslängder were used until 1895, when they were replaced by församlingsböcker following the Royal ordinance of 1894. The newer församlingsböcker contained much of the same family information but removed the religious examination details. Working with both types of records has been essential in my research, as Sissa appears in the older husförhörslängder, while my grandfather David’s records are in the newer församlingsböcker format.
- Död och begravning (death and burial): The final chapter in an ancestor’s story. When I finally located the death record for Sissa’s mother Inger in 1890, I discovered the Swedish term “ålderdomskrämpor” (infirmities of old age) listed as the cause of death.
- Lysning och vigsel (banns and marriage): Documenting the beginning of new family branches. Tracking down Sissa’s eventual marriage after Sven’s birth required learning to recognize terms like “brudgum” (groom) and “brud” (bride) in the parish registers.
- Inflyttade/Utflyttade (moving in/moving out registers): Essential for tracking migration patterns. These records were crucial for following my grandfather David’s emigration from Jämshög in 1926, along with his siblings who left Sweden in a pattern of chain migration in the 1920s.
And let’s not forget that telltale word I mentioned earlier—”oäkta” (illegitimate)—which opened up an entire branch of our family tree that had been lost to memory. Without understanding this single Swedish term, I might never have discovered the complex story of Sissa and Sven Mattisson’s relationship.
Decoding Swedish Naming Patterns
Perhaps the most fascinating language-related aspect of Swedish genealogy is their patronymic naming system. Until the late 19th century, Swedish children didn’t inherit a family surname as we understand it today. Instead, they received a patronymic surname based on their father’s first name.
This is why my research into Sissa Andersdotter’s life revealed that her father wasn’t named “Andersdotter”—that was her own surname meaning “daughter of Anders.” Similarly, when her son Sven was officially claimed by Sven Mattisson (as I discovered in my brick wall breakthrough moment), he became known as Sven Svensson—”son of Sven.”
This naming pattern created a constantly shifting set of surnames with each generation, which makes tracking families across time incredibly challenging—but also uniquely rewarding when you figure it out!
The Art of Swedish Church Record Abbreviations
Another language challenge is deciphering the shorthand and abbreviations used by busy parish priests. Swedish church records are filled with cryptic notations that took me months to understand:
- G.B. (gamla boken) – old book, referring to the previous clerical survey
- N.B. (nya boken) – new book, the next clerical survey
- fl. (flyttade) – moved
- d. (död) – died
I’ve spent more time than I care to admit puzzling over these abbreviated notes, which sometimes contain crucial information about family relationships or movements.
Finding Help in Translation
I’ve developed several strategies for working with Swedish-language records:
- Build a personal word list: I keep a running document (which has now grown to several pages) of Swedish genealogical terms I frequently encounter.
- Utilize online translation tools: While Google Translate isn’t perfect for historical documents, it can help with basic words and phrases.
- Join Swedish genealogy groups: The collective knowledge in these online communities is invaluable. Facebook has several active Swedish genealogy groups where experienced researchers are often willing to help translate difficult passages or explain confusing notations in parish records.
- Study handwriting examples: Historical Swedish handwriting has its own characteristics to learn. The further back I research my Swedish roots, the more I know that familiarizing myself with how certain letters were formed will help immensely when I have to decipher older documents.
- Recognize patterns: Even if I don’t understand every word, I’ve learned to recognize the structure of different record types and where to find key information.
Challenging Records, Rewarding Discoveries
Some of my most challenging yet ultimately rewarding research moments have involved understanding the Swedish language in these records, rather than deciphering the handwriting itself.
Take, for example, the household examination records (husförhörslängder) from Jämshög parish between 1842-1853. These pages tracked my 3x great-grandmother Sissa Andersdotter from age 5 through 16, living in the household of her widowed mother, Inger Sunesdotter. While the cursive handwriting was fairly legible, understanding the content was the real challenge. I’d pore over columns labeled “Kristendomskunskap” (knowledge of Christianity) and “Bevistat Förhör och begått H.H. Nattvard” (attended household examination), trying to make sense of what these entries meant for my ancestors’ lives.
Another challenging case was tracking the migration patterns of Sissa and her son Sven through the moving-in and moving-out registers. When I discovered entries showing they had moved from Näsum back to Jämshög after Sven’s birth, I had to navigate a completely new set of parish records with different formatting and terminology. Each parish used slightly different notations and abbreviations in their record-keeping.
The real treasure, though, was finding the entry in the 1861-1871 Näsum household examination that contained the reference “Pigan Sissa Andersdotter barn!” (Maid Sissa Andersdotter’s child!) next to Sven Mattisson’s name. That single notation, which required careful translation, connected generations and solved a family mystery that had persisted since my grandfather’s time.
When Language Creates Emotional Connection
There’s something poignant about discovering your ancestors’ stories in a language you don’t fully understand. Sometimes I wonder if the language barrier creates an emotional distance—these were my ancestors, yet I can’t read their parish records as effortlessly as they could. I can’t hear their voices or fully grasp the cultural nuances embedded in the language they spoke.
But in another way, working through these language challenges has brought me closer to them. Each translated word feels like a small victory, a bridge across time and linguistic divides. When I finally deciphered the notes about Sven Mattisson’s acknowledgment of paternity for my great-grandfather, I felt a connection to Sissa Andersdotter that transcended language—a young woman whose life story had been waiting for over 150 years to be fully understood by her descendants.
Following Sissa through multiple parish records, from her birth in 1847 through her marriage and the birth of subsequent children, I’ve developed a profound appreciation for the Swedish church records system. The detail these records contain—from notes about an individual’s knowledge of Lutheran catechism to their character and behavior—provides insights that many genealogists researching in other countries can only dream about.
The Reward of Persistence
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with records in another language, it’s that persistence pays off. What once looked like impenetrable Swedish text now reveals familiar patterns and recognizable terms. Each session with these records strengthens my Swedish genealogical vocabulary and my connection to my ancestors.
For anyone starting research in a language different from your own, I encourage you not to be intimidated. Start small, build your vocabulary gradually, and celebrate each tiny breakthrough. The rewards of connecting with your ancestors in their original language—even in a limited way—are immeasurable.
Have you researched ancestors who spoke a different language? What strategies have you used to overcome language barriers in your genealogical research? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!
Swedish Genealogy Language Guide
For those of you embarking on your own Swedish ancestry research journey, I’ve compiled a list of common terms you’ll encounter in different types of records. Think of this as your Swedish genealogy cheat sheet! Feel free to copy this part of my post.
Birth and Christening Records (Födelse och Döpte)
- Barn/barnet – child/the child
- Född – birth/born
- Döpt – christened/baptized
- Dopnamn – given name
- Föräldrar – parents
- Fader – father
- Moder – mother
- Oäkta – illegitimate
- Äkta – legitimate
- Dop-vittnen – christening witness
- Faddrar – godparents
- Mankön – male
- Qvinkön – female
Marriage Records (Lysning och Vigsel)
- Gift – married
- Brud – bride
- Brudgum – groom
- Ogift – unmarried
- Änka – widow
- Änkling – widower
- Lysning – banns (marriage announcements)
- Vigsel – marriage ceremony
- Giftoman – marriage sponsor (often the bride’s father)
Death and Burial Records (Död och Begravning)
- Död/döda/döde – dead/death
- Begravning – burial
- Ålder – age
- Sjukdom – disease
- Dödsorsak – cause of death
- Efterlefva – surviving
Household Examination Records (Husförhörslängder) (later: Församlingsböcker)
- Hemman – homestead/farm
- Hemvist – residence
- Husbonde – farmer/head of household
- Hustru – wife
- Piga – maid/unmarried woman
- Dräng – farmhand/bachelor
- Inflyttad – moved in
- Utflyttad – moved out
- Född – born
- Vigd – married
- Kristendomskunskap – knowledge of Christianity
- Bevistat husförhör – attended household examination
Occupation Terms
- Bonde – farmer
- Torpare – crofter/tenant farmer
- Soldat – soldier
- Skomakare – shoemaker
- Snickare – carpenter
- Smed – blacksmith
- Tjänare – servant
- Backstugusittare – cottager (person living in a small cottage)
- Inhyses – lodger
Migration Records
- Utvandrare – emigrant
- Invandrare – immigrant
- Amerika – America
- Utflyttning – moving out
- Inflyttning – moving in
- Flyttningsbetyg – moving certificate
- Från – from
- Till – to
Relationship Terms
- Son – son
- Dotter – daughter
- Syster – sister
- Bror – brother
- Mormor – maternal grandmother
- Morfar – maternal grandfather
- Farmor – paternal grandmother
- Farfar – paternal grandfather
- Svärmor – mother-in-law
- Svärfar – father-in-law
Location and Land Terms
- Län – county
- Socken – parish
- Församling – parish, congregation
- Stad – city
- By – village
- Torp – cottage, small farm
- Hemman – homestead, farm
- Gård – farm, house
- Bygd – countryside, region
- Landskap – province
- Ställe – place
- Borg – castle, fortress
- Bro – bridge
- Dal – valley
- Berg – hill, mountain
- Sjö – lake
- Å – river
- Ö – island
- Kyrkby – village in which the parish church is located
- Landsförsamling – rural parish of a city
- Stadsförsamling – city parish
- Gräns – boundary line, border
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should help you navigate the most common Swedish genealogical records. I keep a digital copy saved in Evernote for quick reference during my research sessions—just one of the many ways I maintain my paperless genealogy workflow!
hejdå för nu (That’s “goodbye for now” in Swedish—one of the first phrases I learned!)
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