Church books are documents that contain information about baptism, confirmation, marriage and death in a church. They have been kept by priests in Norway since the 17th century and are an important source material for genealogical research.
The parish registers are divided into different categories, depending on the type of information they contain. Baptism books contain information about baptism, such as the name of the child, date and place of birth, the names of the parents and any godparents. Confirmation books contain information about confirmation, such as the name of the person confirmed, age, date of confirmation and the names of the parents. Marriage books contain information about marriages, such as the names of the groom and bride, the date of marriage and the names of the parents, if applicable. Death registers contain information about deaths, such as the name of the deceased, date and place of death, age and, if applicable, the names of the parents.
Church records are an important source of genealogical information, as they provide information about family relationships, birth dates and places, marriages and deaths. They can be useful for mapping family history and finding relatives. Church records are also a valuable source material for historical research, as they provide insight into living conditions and social conditions in different time periods.
You won’t find “everyone” in the church register
It is important to be aware that not all people will be found in the church books. The church records only cover part of the population in Norway, as they only contain information about those who belonged to the Church of Norway and were baptized, confirmed, married or died in the church. Therefore, some people who did not belong to the Church of Norway, or who were not baptized, confirmed, married or died in the church, will not be found in the church records.
This applies, for example, to Jews and Roma, who did not belong to the Church of Norway and were therefore not registered in the church books. It also applies to those who were not baptized or confirmed, or who were married or died outside the church. There may also be missing information in the church books, for example if a person was not baptized or confirmed. It is therefore important to check the information against other sources, such as censuses and probate settlements, to find out whether people who are not in the church books may have been found elsewhere.
May contain errors
When researching church records, it is also important to be aware that there may be errors such as transcription errors, typos and unclear information. Information may also be missing, for example if a person was not baptized or confirmed. It is therefore important to check the information against other sources, such as censuses and probate settlements, to confirm that it is correct.
The oldest church books in Norway… and the world
The oldest church books in Norway date back to the 17th century and were kept by the priests in the church. The church books were introduced to register baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths in the church, and they have been an important source of genealogical information and historical research.
The oldest church books were written in Latin, but from the mid-18th century they were written in Norwegian. From the 19th century, copy books were also introduced, which contained copies of the information from the original church books.
The oldest church records are an important part of Norway’s cultural heritage and history, and they provide insight into living conditions and social conditions in different time periods. They are available at many church offices and in digital form on websites such as Arkivverket and Digitalarkivet, and they can be useful for mapping family history and finding relatives. It is important to be aware that church records may contain errors and omissions, so it is important to check the information against other sources to confirm that it is correct.
The oldest church books in the world date back to antiquity and were kept by church authorities to record baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths. The oldest church books were written in Latin and contained information about people and events associated with the church.
