Sweden Land and Property

The laws to record a transfer of land ownership date back to the 1300's. The process began with a purchase contract or "köpebrev" that was submitted to the local court (ting). In the section called Jordabalken in the Swedish Legal reform of 1734, rules were created to dictate how the transaction should take place. The purchaser would take the purchase contract to the häradsrätt. The häradsrätt would require a certain amount of time to pass before validating the purchase. According to the law of 1734, 1 year after "3 consecutive ting" were held was required. The 3 tings were called the first, second, and third uppbudet. If there were no disputes, for example inheritance rights or by neighbors over boundaries etc. during the waiting time then the Häradsrätt would issue a fastebrev (or after 1875 called a lagfart) which showed official registration.

In 1800 the waiting time was reduced and the häradsrätt would issue a fastebrev at the closest ting after the 3rd uppbudet. Beginning in 1806 it was also required to provide further documentation as to the purchasing circumstances along with presentation of the purchase contract at the time of the 1st uppbud.

Where were the transactions recorded?
From medieval times the fastebreven and uppbuden were recorded in the Domböcker of the tingsrätt, or häradsrätt. These were mixed among the lawsuits and cases. As time went on, the courts might have organized the land transactions using a pattern or form in the Domböcker. This lead to creating separate books for recording transactions. Often these are Småprotokoller. The Småprotokoller would include Uppbudsprotokoller, and Lagfartsprotokoller. They also include transactions related to marriage, divorce, fines, and other court settlements. Generally there is no alphabetical index for the Fastighetsförsäljningarna (real estate transactions) before 1875 when the Lagfarts- and Intecknings- böckerna were created.

Land Records [Jordeböcker]
Research use: These records supplement information and missing years in the tax assessment lists [mantalslängder].

Record type: Records of land usage and ownership.

Time period: 1570 to present.

Contents: Name of the land user and size of the unit and its usage; sometimes includes additional information of genealogical value.

Location: Provincial archives [Landsarkivet].

Percentage in Family History Library: 100% from 1570 to 1750.

Population coverage: Before 1700, possibly 20%; 1700 to 1750, about 35%.

Reliability: Good.

Online Records

 * Riksarkivet digital archive (National)