Qeqertarsuaq Parish, Greenland Genealogy

Background

 * Qeqertarsuaq is a port and town in Qeqertalik municipality, located on the south coast of Disko Island on the west coast of Greenland.
 * 'Founded in 1773, the town is now home to a campus of the University of Copenhagen known as Arctic Station.
 * Qeqertarsuaq is the Kalaallisut name for Disko Island and is also now used for several other islands on Greenland, including those formerly known as Upernavik and Herbert Island.
 * In 2020, the town had 839 inhabitants. The remainder of the population of the island (less than 50 people) lives in the Kangerluk settlement, a few hours by boat to the northwest.
 * During the 18th century, the first whalers came to Qeqertarsuaq, where they found a suitable anchorage. The town was founded as Godhavn by the whaler Svend Sandgreen in 1773.
 * The name was sometimes anglicized as Guthaven and the settlement was also known as Lievely or Leifly. It served as the northernmost point in the enforcement of the Danish rights to whaling in the region.

Place Names
Farm names or small village names within this parish include these place names and variations:


 * Anlægget Godhavns Næs
 * Discofjorden
 * Discofjorden 3. Kivittut
 * Guthaven
 * Kitsigsut
 * Kronprinsens (or Kronprindsens) Eiland (also Kronp: Eiland)
 * Lievely or Leifly
 * Rævesundet
 * Skandsen
 * Ujaragsugssuk, Ujaragsugssuk Kommune
 * Unartok, Ujaragsugssuk Kommune
 * Upernivik
 * Ved Logen Godhavn

Census Records

 * 1834-1870 Greenland, Denmark, Censuses, 1834-1870 (in Danish) at Ancestry - index & images($)
 * 1834-1921 Greenland Censuses, 1834-1921 (in Danish) - incomplete indexes
 * Dansk Demografisk Database - incomplete indexes

Church Records

 * 1752-1861 Greenland Kirkebøger, 1752-1861 at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images.Includes born and baptized, confirmed, married, dead and buried and communions for most parishes. Godhavn 1782-1833 vol. 1 (see also Egedesminde). Census of baptized Greenlanders from Egedesminde, Godhavn and Upernavik parishes 1826-1828 vol. 3
 * 1782-1937 Qeqertarsuaq/Godhavn Church Records - at Greenland National Archives Kirkebóger, images only, complete.
 * 1782-1903 Church books in Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn) parish - at Danish Family Search, index and images, incomplete.

Church Location and Contact Information
Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn) præstegæld Postboks 49 3953 Qeqertarsuaq Greenland Telephone: (+299) 921291 Telefax: (+299) 921525 E-mail: qeqertarsuaq@ilagiit.gl Website

Reading the Records
Because the Faroe Islands were under the jurisdiction of Denmark, many research resources relating to Denmark will be helpful in using Faroe Islands records.
 * Help Reading Danish Records:


 * Denmark Parish Register Headings provides translated examples of parish headings. You will be able to interpret much of what is in the records using these headings. Danish Word List covers typical  terms found in the records. Fixed and Moveable Feast Days for: Denmark will help you translate dates written in feast day form. Denmark surnames are patronymic and change every generation, so carefully study Denmark Names, Personal.


 * Help Reading Old Handwriting: 


 * Scandinavian Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting, part 3 - No part 2 available
 * Gothic Script and examples (Danish)
 * Gothic script help links (Danish)


 * Knowing What to Look for Next:


 * To understand the best research strategies for these records, see Denmark Church Records Christenings Guide.