Swedish Communion Records (Kommunionlängder)

According to the church law of 1686, every adult person was to partake of communion at least once a year.

Different records were created to monitor this, sometimes there is a separate communion record for this purpose, but more often the partaking of communion was recorded in the household examination records.

The communion records usually list the members of the congregation according to where they live, farm by farm. You will typically see the person’s name, place of residence, and the date (or dates) of receiving communion. Other times it may only list the names of the head of household or the members of the household.

In some ways the communion record can replace the household examination records, but more often there is simply not as much genealogical information. It is rare to see birth dates or moving information within the parish in the communion records.

Tips

 * You might see a reference to a person’s death as partaking of communion was important before passing.


 * There might be a reference to a person partaking communion before moving from the parish.


 * The children under the age of confirmation (about 14 – 17 years old) will not be listed in the communion records. A person had to be confirmed before you could receive communion.


 * Sometimes the communion records can be complimented with the Bänklängder or Stolrumslängder that describe where each family is sitting during church services. Even this may only offer the names of the head of household or members of the household.


 * If the parish records were destroyed, check with the Domkapitlens Arkiv to see if by chance copies of the Communion record, Household Examinations, or Bänklängder exist there.