Aust-Agder County, Norway Genealogy

Guide to Aust-Agder ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

Aust-Agder is a county (fylke) in Norway, bordering the counties Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. Until 1919, the name of the county was Nedenes amt. Nedenes amt (fylke) was named after the old Nedenes farm. About 77% of the inhabitants live at the coast, where the main built area is. Tourism is important, as Arendal and the other coastal towns are popular attractions. The county, which is located at Skagerrak coast, extends from Gjernestangern at Risør to Kvåsefjorden at Lillesand. The inner parts of the area includeds Setesdalsheiene and Austheiene. About 77% of the inhabitants live at the coast, where the main built area is.

Church Records/Civil Registration

 * These are the most important records you will use, and a majority of your research will be found in them. All civil registration was kept by the church parishes until 2012.
 * Digitalarkivet: Digitized parish registers of Aust Agder
 * Norway Indexed parish register transcriptions
 * The Family History Library has microfilms for all Aust-Agder parish registers up to about 1920. These can be viewed at the library or at a Family Histor Center near you.
 * By clicking on the parish links above, you may find direct links to all the records for that parish.
 * You do not have to be fluent in Norwegian. These records use a very limited, specialized vocabulary that is easy to learn. For help reading and interpreting theses records, see:
 * Norwegian Genealogical Word List
 * Norway Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting, part 3 - No part 2 available


 * [[Media:Parish_Register_Headings_for_Norway.pdf|Parish Register Headings for Norway]]: This pdf gives the translation of headings for the records in different time periods.  When a record is written with labeled columns it is much easier to search. Much of the material you read in each column will just be names and dates, since the meaning of those names (child, parents, godparents, minister) only has to be read once, in the column heading.


 * For more detail on the contents of these records and how to use them, see Norway Church Records and Norway Civil Registration.

Censuses

 * Nedenes prosti, Prestemanntall 13, 1664 - 1666
 * Råbyggelag prosti, Prestemanntall 14, 1664 - 1666
 * Nedenes fogderi, Fogdemanntall 7, 1664 - 1666
 * Nedenes fogderi, Manntall 3, 1701
 * 1801 Census
 * 1865 Census; also at - How to Use this Collection
 * 1875 Census partial; also at - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 Census (cities only)
 * 1891 Census partial index, full scan
 * 1900 Census
 * 1910 Census full index, not scanned

History and Government Offices
Aust-Agder fylke (county) was until 1919 Nedenes amt (county). The amt was named after the old Nedenes farm (Norse Niðarnes), since this was the seat of the amtmann (County Governor). The meaning of the name Aust Agder is "(the) eastern (part of) Agder" since the word aust is the nynorsk form of "east".


 * Aust-Agder community
 * Aust-Agder fylke
 * Aust-Agder fylkeskommune

Land Records
1886 and 1838 land registers are found at The Norwegian Historical Data Centre. These are Excel files, which can be downloaded. The give the name of the farm, the farm owner, and the amount of tax. Both farms and sub-farms are included.

Passenger Lists

 * Emigrants from Kristiansand 1873-1930

Probate Records

 * Digitized probate records online for Aust-Agder County


 * Read about this service Digitised probate records


 * 1653-1712
 * 1640-1903 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * includes the following judicial districts:


 * Arendal 1709-1871
 * Risør 1709-1779
 * Nedenes 1692-1784
 * Ø. Raabygelag 1738-48
 * V. Raabygelag (Now Setesdal) 1697-1786

Taxation
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