Gotland County, Sweden Genealogy

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Guide to Gotland County ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

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How to Do Research in Gotland, Sweden[edit | edit source]

Most of your genealogical research for Gotland will be in online church records. Methods for locating and reading them are given here.

History[edit | edit source]

Prior to becoming a County, Gotland was a Province. The name of the Province dates back to Medieval times. It includes the entire island. Gotland County belongs to Gotland Province. The county letter for Gotland is: I

Knowing Your Locality[edit | edit source]

To search effectively, it will help if you know the farm, parish, and county where your ancestor lived. The Wiki articles Gather Family Information, Tracing Immigrant Origins, and Finding a Place of Origin in Sweden describe many strategies you can use to find this. Sweden 1951 Place Names Register and the Swedish Parish Pages list in this Wiki will give you searchable lists of places, particularly parishes and the farms within those parishes.

Districts[edit | edit source]

  • Medeltredingen
  • Nordertredingen
  • Norra domsaga
  • Sudertredingen
  • Södra domsaga

Parishes[edit | edit source]

The map below is based on 1890 county/parish boundaries.
Click here to see parishes by number.

SundreHamraVamlingboFideNäsÖjaGrötlingboEkeHablingboHavdhemSilteRoneNärAlvaBursLauLyeStångaHemseLevideSprogeLindeFardhemEkstaFröjelGerumEtelhemAlskogLojstaGardeArdreÖstergarnGammelgarnAlaButtleKlinteKräklingboGuldrupeSandaEskelhemHejdeVästergarnMästerbyViklauVäteVängeGanthemAngaSjonhemNorrlandaGothemDalhemParish 52HallaBjörkeHogränRomaAtlingboStenkumlaToftaVästerhejdeVallBarlingboVisby LandsförsamlingTräkumlaAkebäckVisby StadsförsamlingVisby StadsförsamlingFollingboEkebyVallstenaBogeEndreKällungeBälHejnumFoleHejdebyVäskindeLokrumeBroMarteboStenkyrkaParish 86LummelundaTingstädeHangvarHellviHallLärbroRuteFåröFåröFleringeBungeGotland Map.png

Patronymics and Naming Customs[edit | edit source]

Most Swedish surnames are patronymic. Patronymic surnames changed with each generation. Also, Swedish surnames can be changed for a variety of reasons. Understanding surname changes is more important in Swedish research than in United States or Great Britain. To prepare yourself to cope with these changes, carefully study Sweden Names, Personal.

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Church records from the county of Gotland contain the following types of records. Click on the Swedish name of the record to link to important facts and clues that can be found in each record.


Household Examination Records (Husförhörslängder)[edit | edit source]

The Household Examination Records are a key source in Swedish genealogical research, not found in many other countries. Perhaps their greatest value is that they gave detailed data organized in families for each year. This is particularly helpful in sorting out the duplication of names created by the use of patronymics. The contents of a Household Examination Book varied according to time, place and the minister. As you search the books you might see:

  • The name of the farm, village, or rote (registration area).
  • Names of household members including any
pigor (female workers) or drängar (male workers).
  • Birthplace
  • Birth date or age
  • A score for catechism knowledge.
  • Dates of partaking communion.
  • Dates of participation with the Household Examination.
  • Moving information
  • Death date
  • Marriage date
  • Disciplinary notes
  • Vaccination against smallpox.
  • Reference to military conscription.

Online Records

1. Online Digital Records for Church Records[edit | edit source]

The easiest way to access the Swedish Church Records is through the internet, using these sites:

Four of these sites require a subscription for access. (ArkivDigital, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritage.com are available at a FamilyHistory Center near you free of charge.)

FamilySearch Historical Records Online Databases for Sweden[edit | edit source]

The original copies of the church records before 1895 are preserved by the National and Regional Archives in Sweden. FamilySearch has partnered with The National Archives of Sweden to create indexes of the Swedish church records. For more detail on the contents and coverage of these records, see: Sweden Church Records, 1308 – 1940 Images Published on FamilySearch.

Ancestry.com Online Database for Sweden[edit | edit source]

Gotland Index and Images[edit | edit source]

Sweden Including Gotland[edit | edit source]

MyHeritage.com Online Databases for Sweden[edit | edit source]

ArkivDigital Online Databases for Sweden[edit | edit source]

These lessons will teach you how to use ArkivDigital:

Here are links for registering, buying services, installing the software, a direct link to Gotland records, the main search page, and a library of instructional articles on Swedish genealogy methods.

SVAR[edit | edit source]

2. Microfilms of Church Records for Sweden[edit | edit source]

Microfilms of the original records used for developing the online databases are also available for research. You will find additional records that have yet to be digitized. Currently, they are being digitized, and plans are to complete that project by 2020. Check back occasionally to see if your records have become available. In the meantime, some of them might be available at a Family History Center near you.
To find a microfilm:

a. Click on this link to see a list of records for Sweden, Gotland.
b. Click on "Places within Sweden, Gotland" and a list of towns and cities will open.
c. Click on the town or city you wish to search.
d. Click on "Church Records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
e. Choose the correct event and time period for your ancestor.
f. Some combination of the icons shown below will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record.
FHL icons.png
Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

Reading the Records[edit | edit source]

  • Online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records:

Scandinavian Handwriting[edit | edit source]

Search Strategy and Tips[edit | edit source]

  • First find the birth and baptism record of your ancestor. Once you know his date and place of birth and his parents' names, you can locate the family in the Household Examination Records.
  • Search every Household Examination Record that your ancestor appears on (from birth to death). You will pick up valuable clues along the way, find children who died young, and establish correct family member relationships.
  • All birth, marriage, or death dates found in Household Examination Records need to be verified in the actual birth, marriage, or death records.
  • Pay attention to relationship titles, occupations, military status, and remarks. See word list for Vocabulary for Household Examination Records.
  • Dates are written in the European order of day, month, and year.
  • The Family History Library created a basic key words list to help with reading the column headings (for when they exist in the actual records.) This copy has been given out at the Nordic Reference Counter for many years. To print your own copy see: Swedish Parish Register and Household Exam Roll Headings


Resources[edit | edit source]

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

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