Denmark Census, 1855 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Denmark

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
This collection is an enumeration of all persons in the Kingdom of Denmark on 1 February 1855. If you had an ancestor living in Denmark at this time you should check this census to see where they were living, information about their age, occupation and other members of the family or household.

What is in the Collection?
This is an every-name index to the 1855 census of Denmark. This index was created by MyHeritage from images provided by the National Archives of Denmark. The census was taken on the first of February and included Denmark, Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Danish West Indies and Schleswig-Holstein.The enumeration for Denmark was divided into three sections: Copenhagen city, other cities and rural areas. This publication includes only Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein.

The counties included in the Schleswig section are:


 * Eckernförde
 * Eiderstedt
 * Flensburg
 * Haderslev
 * Husum


 * Oldenburg
 * Rendsburg
 * Ribe
 * Schleswig
 * Südtondern


 * Svendborg
 * Sønderborg
 * Tønder
 * Vejle
 * Åbenrå

The National Archives of Denmark has cataloged this census with Danmarks Statistik (Dennmark Statistical Office) as the responsible government office. More information about the records created by this office can be found at the National Archives of Denmark's online catalog, Daisy.

Reading These Records
These records are in Danish and German. For assistance with this language, consult the Danish Word List. This is a list of common terms found in Danish genealogical records with their English translations, as well as links to more more comprehensive word lists. A PDF version of an older edition of this list may be downloaded at [[Media:Danish Genealogical Word List October 2010.pdf|Danish Genealogical Word List October 2010]].

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The census forms contain the following information.

Digital Folder Number List
This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. Only the DGS numbers are displayed. This table lists the first item on each folder in this collection. The contents may be continued from the previous folder.

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index, view the images or both. Before searching this collection it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * The parish where the person lived

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking for, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Check the image the index was taken from to see if there is additional information
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing this Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image.
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined.
 * Use the information to locate the individual in church records, if appropriate

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * People enjoyed a higher level of personal mobility in Denmark than in other countries due to the easier terrain and absence of laws restricting movement. A well-developed system of transportation existed which facilitated moving from one place to another.
 * Consider alternate spellings for names, such as Peder for Peter, and Maria for Maren. Law regarding surnames were not fully in effect at this time, so the person may be recorded with or without a patronymic surname.
 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name.
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches.
 * Search the records of nearby parishes. While it was uncommon for an individual in this period to move more than about 20 miles from their place of birth, smaller relocations were not uncommon..
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible.

Citing this Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used. Collection Citation: