Karesuando Parish, Norrbotten, Sweden Genealogy

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

History
The parish of Karesuando was created in 1813 from Enontekis parish in Finland.

Karesuando parish was formed under the name Enonteki parish by breaking out of Övertorneå parish and then covered a large area that also included parts of present-day Finland.

From Enonteki parish broke out 1606 Simojärvi parish (later called Jukkasjärvi parish) and 1673 Kautokeino parish and Utsjoki parish.

In connection with the separation of Finland from Sweden in 1809, Enonteki's parish came to be located in both Sweden and Finland. The church was on the Finnish side. In 1813 the parish was divided into two parts, one in Finland and one in Sweden. Both congregations had the same name. In 1907, the Swedish parish officially changed its name to Karesuando parish. Both names had since the parish division been used in parallel.

On January 1, 1995, an area was transferred from Karesuando Parish to Vittangi Parish.

Karesuando parish first formed its own pastorate and then became the mother parish in the pastorate with Jukkasjärvi parish in 1606. Between 1614-1647 the parish was an annex parish in the pastorate Nedertorneå, Enontekis and Simojärvi / Jukkasjärvi which from 1647 also included Torneå parish. In 1673, Karesuando parish became an annex parish in a pastorate together with Jukkasjärvi. From 1747 the parish became its own pastorate. During the years 1810-1813, however, the parish was the mother parish in a pastorate together with Muonio parish.

Karesuando parish formed a church community in 1971 with Jukkasjärvi and Vittangi parishes; The church community of Jukkasjärvi, Vittangi and Karesuando parishes. In 1983, the name was changed to Kiruna church community.

Common documents for the community, such as minutes, financial documents and real estate documents, are recorded in Jukkasjärvi church archives up to and including 1974. Fr.o.m. In 1975, the community forms its own archive, the Kiruna church community archive.

Place Names
Gunnare nybygge (Gunnare new settlers) Idivuoma  Karesuando Kyrkby, Kuttainen, Köngämä Lappar (Köngämä Lapps)  Lainiovuoma Lappar (Lainiovuoma Lapps), Lussa maraiset lappnybygge (Lussa new settlers of Lapps)  Maunu, Mertajärvi  Naimakka nybygge (Maimakka new settlers), Niemi maraiset, Närvä  Ruadusniemi, Råmavuoma  Saivomuotka

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 ($),
 * ($),
 * 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, Norrbotten 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 Family History Center near you. Click on "Places within Sweden, Norrbotten" and then select your parish.

Military Records

 * Sweden Military Records
 * Central Soldiers Register InstructionsSearch 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


 * 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