Svanstein Parish, Norrbotten, Sweden Genealogy

Guide to Svanstein Parish, Sweden ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.



History
Svanstein is a small town located in Övertorneå parish.

(2) Svanstein's church registration district within Övertorneå parish was formed on 1 January 1926. The church registration district ceased on 1 January 1962 and was then reorganized into Svanstein's parish. The parish constituted its own pastorate.

When Svanstein's parish was added in 1962, a church community was established at the same time between Svanstein and Övertorneå with a common economy. The community was called Övertorneå and Svanstein's church community. On January 1, 1992, the community was expanded with Hietaniemi parish. The community was then called Övertorneå church community. However, the name had been used before. The documents of the church community are recorded in the Övertorneå church archives.

In 1865, a chapel and cemetery were built in the village of Turtola near Svanstein. According to King. May's decision In 1919, a commissioner was stationed in Turtola. The intention was to form a chapel congregation of this village and the surrounding area. Instead, Svanstein became a church village in the church registration district.

In 1926, Svanstein's church registration district included the following villages and farms: Aapua, Aasa, Barsk, Haapaniemi, Hietala (also called Inga), Johdet, Juoksengi, Jussi, Keskitalo, Kommes, Lampinen, Mettäjärvi, Mäki (also called Inga), Niemi in Pello, Niemi in Juoksengi, Niska, Oja, Olkamangi, Olli, Outinen, Pello, Pentäjä, Pääkolä, Pyhäjärvi, Rantajärvi, Rautila, Rova i Juoksengi, Rova i Olkamangi, Sompaisenoja (eller Vanhaniemi), Svanstein, Taavo, Taavola, Taavoniku, Tolainen, Turtulia Viuli, Uus and Ylitalo.

Place Names
To see what kind of place it is you will need a Swedish Gazetteer.


 * Surrounding Parishes

Census Records

 * Sweden Household Examination Records (Husförhörslängder)--explanation of this church record which is functionally the census of Sweden.
 * Sweden Household Examination Books, 1840-1947, ($), index and images. Also on Ancestry.com, ($), Arkiv Digital ($), and SVAR at Riksarkivet.

Online Database Church Records
The easiest way to access the Swedish Church Records is through the internet, using these five sites (see links to specific collections below). 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.) at FamilySearch.
 * MyHeritage.com ($),
 * ($),
 * Arkiv Digital ($), and
 * SVAR at Riksarkivet.

Help Using ArkivDigital: Online Databases for Sweden

 * These lessons will teach you how to use ArkivDigital:
 * ArkivDigital: Explore Your Swedish Heritage

FamilySearch Library Records
Click Sweden, Norrbotten Records for a full listing of microfilmed records (some digitized online) at the FamilySearch Library, that may be digitized. 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. Click on "Places within Sweden, Norrbotten" and then select your parish.

Military Records

 * Sweden Military Records
 * Central Soldiers Register InstructionsSearch Engine

Related Sources
Sweden Online Genealogy Records Ask the Community

Help Reading Swedish Records

 * You do not have to be fluent in Swedish to read these records! They have a limited vocabulary: mother, father, born, bride, groom, married, etc. The rest of the content will be names, dates, and places, which do not need translation.
 * This Swedish Word List covers typical terms found in the records.
 * Swedish Historical Dictionary Database, SHDD: This interactive dictionary allows you to enter a word in the search box and receive the translation.
 * Feast Day Calendar (Moveable) and Feast Day Lists (Fixed and Moveable) will help you translate dates written in feast day form.
 * Sweden surnames are patronymic and change every generation, so carefully study Sweden Names, Personal.
 * For help with reading the column headings found in more recent records, see [[Media:Swedenish_Par_Reg_and_Exam_headings.pdf|Swedish Parish Register and Household Exam Roll Headings]].
 * Instructions, document examples, and translations are given for Reading Swedish Birth and Christening Records 1717, 1752, 1771, 1792, 1803, 1834, 1854.

Help Reading Old Handwriting

 * Reading Gothic Handwriting for Swedish Genealogy, Lesson 1
 * Spelling and Phonetics for Swedish Genealogy, Lesson 2 — Names, dates, and key genealogical words
 * Reading Gothic Handwriting for Swedish Genealogy: Put It All Together, Lesson 3
 * Birth and Christening Records for Swedish Genealogy
 * Scandinavian Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting, part 3 - No part 2 available

Help With Research Objectives and Strategies
Sweden Research Strategies