Denmark Counties



Prior to the establishment of lens in the 1500s Denmark was divided into several syssel (plural: sysler), fourteen on the Jutland peninsula, two on the island of Fyn, and four on the island of Zealand. Since the creation of the lens the organization of administrative jurisdictions in Denmark has changed many times. The purpose, function, and designation of each of these changes is described in this article.

To 1662
In the 1500s Denmark was organized into areas called Lens (fief). Each len was associated with a castle and had some of the surrounding herreder (districts) attached. Each len was under the supervision of a government appointed Lensmand who managed the King's affairs within the Len.

Lens were divided into three types: regnskabslen (accounting), afgiftslen (taxation) and tjenestelen (service). In an accounting len (also called fadeburslen), the lensmand received an annual fee for managing the len, while the rest of the len's income went to the Crown. In a afgiftslen, the lensmand had to provide a certain annual sum in money and kind to the treasury (rentekammer) and could keep the rest of the len's income. A tjenestelen was awarded to a lensmand in exchange for their service and was exempt from taxation. When King Frederik III introduced the absolute monarchy (Enevælde) in 1660 there were 49 len.

Alphabetical List
Jylland • 4 Fyn • 4 Sjælland • 4

1662-1793
On 16 February 1662 the len were reorganized into 48 Amter. Most of the amt had similar boundaries to the original len. The main difference was that the amtmand did not have military authority as the lensmand had.

Alphabetical List
Jylland • 4 Fyn • 4 Sjælland • 4

1793-1970
In 1793 Denmark was reorganized into 24 counties. The organization of Danish records in the FamilySearch Catalog is based upon this time period.

Alphabetical List
• 4

1970-2006
In 1970 Denmark was reorganized into 15 counties.

Alphabetical List
• 4

2007
On 1 January 2007 Denmark was reorganized into five regions responsible for healthcare, regional development, and operation of a number of social institutions. The existing 271 municipalities were combined and reduced in number to 98. . The regions are:
 * Region Hovedstaden
 * Region Sjælland
 * Region Nordjylland
 * Region Midtjylland
 * Region Syddanmark