Torestorp Parish, Älvsborg, Sweden Genealogy

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



History
A fire in 1784 destroyed most of Torestorp’s older records in the Church Archive.

(write information such as: how old the parish is, interesting facts about the parish, what alternate names it has, or any boundary changes.)

Place Names:
Abborhult, Andersgården Heden

Backabo, Berg, Bergese, Björnholmen, Brattehall, Brokan, Bålsbygd

Ekedal, Enebacken

Fåglaberg, Fänhult Lillegården, Fänhult Storegården

Getabo Lillegården, Getabo Mellangården, Getabo Storegården, Granhult under Prästgården, Granhult under Skog, Grönkärr, Grönskog, Gullbringa

Harsås, Harsås-Hökervik, Heden Andersgården, Hemmingstorp, Hulatorp, Håkullen, Hägghult, Hägnen, Hälselyckan, Hälsered, Hökavik under Harsås, Hökavik under Svansjö

Jutebacka

Kammarholmen, Klockaregården Vik, Kroksjölid, Kulla, Kullahagen, Kårtöd

Lahall, Listorpet, Liden, Lillegården Fänhult, Lillegården Getabo, Ljunglid

Magerhult, Mellangården Getabo, Mellangården Vik, Mossöja, Måbacken

Nabbalycka, Nyhagen under Svansjö, Näset, Näsholmen

Prästgården, Prästgården Granhult

Rappheden, Runneskog, Rådalen, Rökås, Röllese, Röllese Västergården

Sandryd, Sandsered, Sandsered Väghult, Sjögaslätt, Sjöåsen, Skog, Skog-Granhult, Skåred, Slåbo, Sockenstugan, Storegården Fänhult, Storegården Getabo, Strömmen, Sundet, Svansjö, Svansjö Hökavik, Svansjö Kvarn, Svansjö Nyhagen, Sund

Tokabo, Töresvik

Valvingsås, Varsvik, Vik Klockaregården, Vik Mellangården, Vik Västergården, Vik Östergården, Vrå, Väghult under Sandsered, Västergården Röllese, Västergården Vik

Ödegärdet, Östergården Vik

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


 * Surrounding Parishes, 61 Torestorp: 62 Örby; 58 Öxabäck, 39 Mjöbäck; Älvsered (Halland?); 60 Gunnarsjö

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, ($), index and images. Also on Arkiv Digital ($), 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

Family History Library Records
Click Sweden, Älvsborg Records for a full listing of microfilmed records (some digitized online) at the Family History 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, Älvsborg" and then select your parish.

Military Records

 * Sweden Military Records
 * Central Soldiers Register Instructions Search Engine
 * A book entitled "Soldater från Torestorp socken 1681-1708", written by Britt Hagman is available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. It contains soldiers from Torestorp parish who served in the Royal Elfsborg's regiment, 1681-1708. It may be available at other libraries or online for purchase.

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


 * FamilySearch Online Lessons - Reading Scandinavian Handwriting:
 * Scandinavian Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting, part 3
 * No part 2 available

Help With Research Objectives and Strategies
Sweden Research Strategies

References:
Torestorp Husförhörslängd 1840-1846 Ortergister