Copenhagen: Directories

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Directories (Vejvisere) are a useful tool for pinpointing the residence of a family in Copenhagen. By knowing where a family lived in the city, it is easier to determine what parish, civil jurisdiction, or other type of division the family may have belonged to, making it easier to locate records. Directories are also helpful in determining whether or not you have the right family.

Background
The Copenhagen directories are the oldest in the world. They began in 1770, and continue through to the twentieth century. The directories were compiled at various times, though generally it was every five years.

What you typically find
City directories are similar to modern day phone books. The typically contain information about the city, names of at least heads of household, occupation, and the street location.

Access
The Copenhagen directories can be accessed at the Family History Library and Københavns Kommunes Biblioteker (Copenhagen Community Library). The Family History Library has microfilm/fiche copies for the years 1787, 1790, 1801, 1813, 1827, 1834, 1840, 1845, 1850, 1855, 1859, 1861, 1872. Københavns Kommunes Biblioteker has started a project digitizing their entire collection of directories and posting them for free online at. At this moment only the years 1770 and 1775 are available.