Danish Military Levying Rolls (Lægdsruller)

Denmark Military Levying Rolls

{| width="100%" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="5" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" Lægdsruller are records of the males who could be enlisted for service in the army or navy. These rolls have many different uses. For genealogical purposes they are used mainly to follow the registered individual's movements, identify a birthplace, find which military unit they were assigned to, and when they completed their obligation.
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Background
In 1788, adscription was repealed and the foundation was laid for a civilian service. This was done by regulation on June 20, 1788. Previously the private landowners had the obligation to provide personnel for the army. After adscription's repeal this responsibility was shifted to the king and the state. There was thus created a direct relationship between the state and the conscripts.

In subsequent years there was an agency created by the government known as a lægdsvæsen to watch over its conscripts. It was important for the government to know how large a force it possessed in case of war. Therefore, it became the state's responsibility to keep detailed records of the male population in lægdsruller.

Articles

 * Why use the Lægdsruller?
 * What's a Lægd?
 * Who was recorded in the Lægdsruller?
 * When was a person registered in the Lægdsruller?
 * Types of Lægdsruller
 * Content of the Lægdsruller
 * Removals and Exemptions
 * Administration and Registration Process
 * Military Records for Sønderjylland (Southern Denmark/Northern Slesvig)

How to find someone in the levying rolls
1. Find the Lægt number of your ancestor's parish. Go to the Family Search wiki listing for your parish. On the parish's main page, you will see a blue box, and in that box will be the Lægt number of that parish.

2. Go to the Danish National Archives website at www.Arkivalieronline.dk. On the main page, click on Find lægdsruller her, writtenin red.

3. Click on the year span you wish to search.


 * For 1789-1864, click onLægdsruller (landruller) 1789-1864. Click on Læs scannet udgave af arkivserien her. On the left will be a long list of rolls which are alphabetized by county name. Scroll down to your county, then click on the year you wish to search. ("Hovedrulle" is the mail roll listing every eligible male, and Tilgangsrulle is the supplementary roll which lists only those who moved onto or off the rolls since the last main roll was taken). Find your lægt number, which is listed along with the parish name in chronological order. In the Hovedrulle there are usually several pages for each lægt or parish. Search all the names in that lægt for your ancestor.
 * For 1864 1931- These rolls are orgainzed by "Kreds" or districts, not by county. There were seven Kreds for Denmark. You need know the Kreds in which your county was located. On the right side of the screen, click on Kom godt i gang med at bruge lægdsruller to see county map and determine your Kreds number. Go back to the previous page and click on Lægdsruller (landruller), [your Kreds Number] udskrivningskreds [Year Range]. For Kreds 1 and 2, then click on Læs scannet udgave af arkivserien her.
 * Scroll down and find the year you wish to search. There will be several listings for each year, each  followed by a number, which is the beginning Lægt number in that group ("Hovedrulle" is the mail roll listing every eligible male in the parish, and Tilgangsrulle is the supplementary roll listing only those who moved onto or off the rolls since the last main roll was taken. "Omskrevet" means "Rewritten".) Then Click on "Læs arkivalier her" in red on that line.  Turn the pages of the book using the arrows at the top of the page. Find your lægt number, which is on the upper corner of each right page, listed in chronological order. In the Hovedrulle there are usually about 3-7 pages for each lægt or parish. Search all the pages in that lægt for your ancestor's name.

4. If your ancestor is found, you will see two numbers to the left of his name. The first number is his listing number in this year's roll, and the second number is his listing number in the next main roll (Hovedrulle). In the third column he will be listed with his father, if he is not a father himself. Next is listed his birthplace, age, height, and current residence in the parish, followed by any remarks which are usually pertaining to his military service. See the abbreviations list to translate these remarks.

5. If you wish to follow him through to other years, go back to the county list on the left sidebar, choose the next year in the Hovedrulle, find the same lægt number again, and and look for his listing under the second number that was by his name

If he mioved and changed parishes, his name will be crossed off and there will be a note by his name indicating his new lægt number and listing number in that lægt.

How to follow someone in the same county.

How to follow someone to a different county.

Tools for using the Lægdsruller

 * Registration Area Numbers (Lægdsnummer)
 * Letter associated to the year of registration
 * Common abbreviations in the Army Lægdsruller.
 * FamilySearch Indexing: Denmark, Lægdsruller, 1789-1792