Sweden Archives and Libraries

Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches and governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm. This section describes the major repositories of genealogical and historical records and sources for Sweden. When one of these institutions is referred to elsewhere in this outline, return to this section to find the address.

If you plan to visit any of these repositories, contact the organization and ask for information about their hours, services, and fees. When writing to an archive in Sweden, you may write in English.

Although the records you need may be in an archive or library in Sweden, the Family History Library and the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Illinois may have microfilm copies of them. The Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center sells microfilm copies of the records. See the "Societies" section of this outline for the address.

In Sweden there are several major types of genealogical repositories:

 * National archives and libraries


 * Provincial archives


 * City archives


 * Church parish offices


 * Historical and genealogical societies

National Archive
The Sweden government collects records relating to Sweden history, culture, and people. The National Archive of Sweden, which is open to the public, has a large genealogical and biographical collection as well as government accounts, land records, tax lists, maps, and pictures. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of many of the National Archive's records. The postal address is:

Riksarkivet Postal Address: Box 12541, S-102 29 Stockholm, Sweden Street Address: Fyrverkarbacken 13-17, Stockholm, Sweden Telephone: 011-46-8-737 63 50 Fax: 011-46-8-737 64 74 Internet: http://www.statensarkiv.se/

Some databases at the National Archives can be accessed from the internet and directions are in English.

The following is a guide to the National Archive's collection:

Jägerskiöld, Olof. Riksarkivet 1618-1968 (National Archives 1618- 1968). Stockholm, Sweden: P.A. Norstedt &amp; Söner, 1968. (FHL book 948.5 J5j.)

Svensk Arkivinformation, SVAR (Swedish Archive Information) is a division of the National Archive. The goal of SVAR is to make archive material available for research and education. SVAR will copy and distribute archive material and index information. SVAR has a research facility in Ramsele, Sweden.

Svensk Arkivinformation (SVAR) Postal Address: Box 160, S-880 40 Ramsele, Sweden Street Address: Tingsvägen 5 (Gamla Tingshuset), Ramsele,  Sweden Telephone: 011-46-623-725 00 Fax: 011-46-623-725 55 Internet: http://www.svar.ra.se/

Information is online in English (and Swedish).

Provincial Archives
There are seven regional archives in Sweden. They house records pertaining to their particular area. Most Swedish records of genealogical value are kept at the provincial archives, including church records such as birth, marriage, and death records; census records; land records; emigration records; and court records. Each provincial archive has a large collection of printed material about its area, including local histories, biographies, and other genealogical material. The provincial archives are open to the public. Each archive has different hours of service, so make sure you know days and times before visiting.

Landsarkivet i Göteborg (GLA) Västra Götaland County Postal Address: Box 19035, 400 12 Göteborg, Sweden Street Address: Geijersgatan 1 Telephone: 031-778 68 00 Fax: 031-778 68 25 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-goteborg.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-goteborg.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/gla

Landsarkivet i Härnösand (HLA) Gävleborg, Norrbotten, Västerbotten and Västernorrland Counties Postal Address: Box 161, 871 01 Härnösand, Sweden Street Address: Rosenbäcksallén 18 Telephone: 0611-835 00 Fax: 0611-835 28 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-harnosand.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-harnosand.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/hla

Landsarkivet i Lund (LLA) Blekinge, Halland, Kristianstad and Skåne Counties Postal Address: Box 2016, 220 02 Lund, Sweden Street Address: Dalbyvägen 4 Telephone: 046-19 70 00 Fax: 046-19 70 70 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-lund.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-lund.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/lla

Landsarkivet i Uppsala (ULA) Dalarna, Södermanland, Uppsula, Västmanland and Örebro Counties Postal Address: Box 135, 751 04 Uppsala, Sweden Street Address: Dag Hammarskjölds väg 19 Telephone: 018-65 21 00 Fax: 018-65 21 03 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-uppsala.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-uppsala.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/ula

Landsarkivet i Vadstena (VaLA) Jönköping, Kalmar, Kronoberg and Östergötland Counties Postal Address: Box 126, 592 23 Vadstena, Sweden Street Address: Slottet Telephone: 0143-130 30 Fax: 0143-102 54 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-vadstena.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-vadstena.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/vala

Landsarkivet i Visby (ViLA) Gotland County Postal Address: Visborgsgatan 1, 621 57 Visby, Sweden Street Address: Visborgsgatan 1 Telephone: 0498-21 05 14 Fax: 0498-21 29 55 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-visby.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-visby.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/vila

Landsarkivet i Östersund (OLA) Jämtland County Postal Address: Arkivvägen 1, 831 31 Östersund, Sweden Street Address: Arkivvägen 1 (Museiplan) Telephone: 063-10 84 85 Fax: 063-12 18 24 Email: [mailto:landsarkivet@landsarkivet-ostersund.ra.se landsarkivet@landsarkivet-ostersund.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/ola 

Värmlandsarkiv (VA) Värmland County Postal Address: Box 475, 651 11 Karlstad, Sweden Street Address: Hööksgatan 2 Telephone: 054-10 77 30 Fax: 054-10 77 31 Email: [mailto:varmlandsarkiv@telia.com varmlandsarkiv@telia.com] Internet: http://www.ra.se/varmla

City Archives
The city archives of Stockholm and Malmö are comparable to the provincial archives.

Stockholms Stadsarkiv (SSA)  Stockholm City and County Postal Address: Box 22063, S-104 22 Stockholm, Sweden Street Address: Kungsklippan 6 Telephone: 08-508 283 01 Fax: 08-508 283 01 Email: [mailto:stadsarkivet@ssa.stockholm.se stadsarkivet@ssa.stockholm.se] Internet: http://www.ssa.stockholm.se

Stadsarkivet i Malmö (MSA) Malmö City Address: Stora Varvsgatan 11, 211 19 Malmö, Sweden Telephone: 040-10 53-30 Fax: 040-97 51 05 Email: [mailto:birgit.backarfqidsson@malmo.se birgit.backarfqidsson@malmo.se] Internet: http://www.malmo.se/staden/stadsarkiv/

Military Archive
Krigsarkivet (KRA) Postal Address: Krigsarkivet, 115 88 Stockholm, Sweden Street Address: Banergatan 64 Telephone: 08-782 41 00 Fax: 08-782 69 76 Email: [mailto:krigsarkivet@krigsarkivet.ra.se krigsarkivet@krigsarkivet.ra.se] Internet: http://www.ra.se/kra

Also see the "Military Records" section of this outline.

Church Parish Offices
Post-1895 church records are usually kept by the local parish. Parishes may also have earlier records. You can write to local parishes for information. See the "Church Records" section of this outline.

Historical and Genealogical Societies
In Sweden there are many historical and genealogical societies. Some societies maintain libraries and archives that collect valuable records. For more information, including addresses, see the "Societies" section of this outline.

Inventories, Registers, Catalogs
Some archives have websites, catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit or use the records of an archive so that you can use your time more effectively. The Family History Library has some of these guides. They are listed in the Family History Catalog under:

SWEDEN - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS.

Libraries
The Kungliga Biblioteket (Royal Library) has a helpful collection of published genealogies, manuscripts, histories, directories, maps, and newspapers.

Kungliga Biblioteket

Postal Box 5039 SE-102 41 Stockholm Street address: Humlegården Tel:+46 8 463 40 00 Fax:+46 8 463 40 04 Email: kungl.biblioteket@kb.se Internet: http://www.kb.se/ENG/kbstart.htm