Sorsele Parish, Västerbotten, Sweden Genealogy

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

History
Sorsele parish was formed in 1673 by breaking out of Lycksele parish. The parish was first called Illesnöhle (Gillesnuole) but changed its name in 1701 to Sorsele.

The parish was divided on May 1, 1923, into two church records; Sorsele Church Accounting District (Sorsele Church Archives) and Gargnäs Church Accounting District (see Gargnäs Church Archives). The division of the parish into two church registration districts ceased on December 31, 1961.

Gargnäs church accounting district was transformed in 1962 into Gargnäs parish. Sorsele parish and Gargnäs parish formed in connection with the parish division Sorsele-Gargnäs church community. The community's documents are included in the Sorsele church archives.

Sorsele parish was part of a joint pastorate with Lycksele parish (mother parish) 1673-1827. In 1827, Sorsele parish formed its own pastorate to in 1962 become the mother parish in a joint pastorate with Gargnäs parish.

In 1763, the Commissioner of Sorsele was also given responsibility for services at Tärna Chapel. Sometimes there was also a special chapel preacher at Tärna chapel. In 1822, the Tärna chapel became part of the Stensele pastorate and the Sorsele priests' responsibility for Tärna ceased. Tärna chapel parish was part of a joint pastorate with Lycksele parish until 1822.

In the chapel rebuilt by the Sami in 1750 at Gillesnuole (Allesnuole), services were held once or twice in the summer. Eventually it lost its significance and was abolished in 1858, when a new chapel was built in Gargnäs in 1908. A chapel was also established in Ammarnäs.

Of the parish of Sorsele, the parish belonged in civil terms to the villages of Fjällnäs and Nordanås to the parish of Arjeplog and the county of Norrbotten, until they were united with Sorsele in all respects by royal letter in 1868.

According to the Chamber of Deputies' resolution in 1876, the new building Harrboselet was moved from Sorsele to Lycksele in the land register.

According to a royal letter in 1880, Kåtenovie no. 1 and Kåtaliden no. 1888. According to the same decision, the new building Racknäs was transferred in all respects from Malå to Sorsele parish.

The homestead Svartlund and Johannisberg as well as the new settlements Carolinelund and Friheten were transferred from Sorsele to Malå in terms of land register according to a royal letter in 1880, when Malå in 1882 became a special pastorate.

Of the homestead Tvråträsk no. 2 in Sorsele parish is a plot called Granträsk, partly laid out in Lycksele parish.

In Sorsele house examination books A I: 4-5 is Gargjaur, which is occasionally counted as Arjeplog's parish.

In 1758, a fire broke out in Lycksele vicarage and according to information, an account book for Sorsele was destroyed.

Place Names
Abmoberg, Ava Blattniksele, Bockträsk, Brännbacka, Bräskafors, Bure  Finsok, Fjällbonäs, Fjällnäs, Forsbacka, Forsnäs  Gargjaur Arjeplogs sn (Gargjaur in Arjeplogs parish), Gargnäs, Gautsträsk se Övre Gautsträsk (Gautsträsk see Upper Gautsträsk), Gertsjaur, Gillesnuole, Giltjaur, Granbyn lappar (Granbyn Lapps), Grannäs, Granåker, Grundträsk  Holmfors, Hällnäs  Juktån  Karlsten, Kraddsele  Lomfors, Lomsele, Lomselenäs, Lotträsk, Malåberg, Myrberget  Nedre Sandsele (Lower Sandsel), Nordanås, Norrsele, Norsjön, Nyby  Ran norska (Ran Norweigan), Ranbyn, Risnäs, Rågoliden, Råstrand  Sadeliden, Sandsele se Nedre Övre Sandsele (Sandsele see Lower, Upper Sandsele), Sandsjön, Sappetnäs, Saxnäs, Skakträsk, Skansnäs, Sorsele, Staggträsk, Stennäs, Stensund,   Storholmen  Torviksele, Tväråträsk  Vännäs  Örnäs, Övre Gautsträsk (Upper Gautsträsk ), Övre Sandsele (Upper Sandsele) Boställslösa personer (Homeless people), Inflyttade pigor och drängar från andra socknar 1831-1846 (servant girls and farmhands who have moved in from other parishes 1831-1846)

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 ($),
 * Ancestry.com ($),
 * 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, Västerbotten 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 FamilySearch Center near you. Click on "Places within Sweden, Västerbotten" and then select your parish.

Military Records

 * Sweden Military Records
 * Central Soldiers Register Instructions Search 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