Re: Does anyone have relatives with a "Svanti" Olsson from Sweden
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In reply to:
Re: Does anyone have relatives with a "Svanti" Olsson from Sweden
Lori Mackie 6/25/06
Lori,
If you think you have the right family, then the best thing to do is work in the Swedish parish records which are unbelievably detailed. It seems that you are worried about the language but you will find that (despite the language difference), it is MUCH, MUCH easier to make fast progress in Swedish research than it is in U.S. research.
The Swedish records were kept in the parish.The SweGGate website describes the Swedish records and gives advice on how to use them. (This entire site is a goldmine of information, so be sure to check it out thoroughly.)
http://www.rootsweb.com/~swewgw/http://www.rootsweb.com/~swewgw/
Follow the Themes --> Church Records pathway on SweGGate to see what kinds of records the Swedes have. Their records are very detailed, and very helpful.
You can see the parish records by:
1) ordering them on microfilm from any Family History Center. This url shows how to find one.
http://tinyurl.com/4po5http://tinyurl.com/4po5
2) The volunteers at a Family History Center can help you order the records. You can see which records can be ordered by looking at the online Family History Library Catalog. I usually do a place search.
http://tinyurl.com/95cphttp://tinyurl.com/95cp
For most records, you enter the name of the Swedish parish and then select "Church Records" and the type of record/time period you need. Note the number of the record so you can order it at the Family History Center.
There are also extractions of birth, marriage, and death records which can be used if you don't see the kind of record you need using the parish name. Those extractions can be found under the name of the Swedish län (county). Then select "Civil Registration" and "utdrag ur ministerialböcker". Födde are births, Vigde are marriages, and Döde are deaths. All those records for all the parishes in the county are on the films, so you need to pay attention to the headings at the top of the page.
3) You can see many of the same records on the subscription Genline site.
http://www.genline.comhttp://www.genline.com
There are various subscription prices. I renewed my subscription for a year recently while at a genealogy conference, and that renewal price was 1700 SEK (Swedish kronor; paid in American money, of course), which is well below the normal yearly price for Genline and even below the price members of certain Swedish American organizations can pay. There are frequent specials, so pay attention.
If you use Genline, you get the same records found on microfilm (and the originals, of course) but you can see those records on your computer. If you don't see the later births, marriages, and deaths using the parish name, then
choose "scb" instead of the parish name. Genline goes up to about 1895, I think, and they don't have all the records scanned yet. They do have a lot of the parish records scanned, but make sure the records you need are scanned before you subscribe. This is a listing of what has been completed so far. Be sure to click on the name of the län and then the name of the parish.
http://www.genline.com/databasen/walk3.phphttp://www.genline.com/databasen/walk3.php
4) You can see the records at the huge Family History Library in Salt Lake City. There is a wonderful workshop ("Swedish American Genealogist Workshop"), held each fall. Read about it here.
http://www.etgenealogy.se/workshop.htmhttp://www.etgenealogy.se/workshop.htm
5) You can visit Sweden and do research in archives there.
Most of us do research using the Family History Centers and Genline. You will see a lot of posts referring to GID numbers, which are specific pages on Genline. People have problems reading records and ask other Genline subscribers for help.
There are at least two books in English about how to research in Swedish parish records. "Cradled in Sweden" is more detailed and "Your Swedish Roots" is easier for beginners to use. I own both of them.
http://tinyurl.com/57exbhttp://tinyurl.com/57exb
http://tinyurl.com/57dqvhttp://tinyurl.com/57dqv
This site leads to a booklet which can be downloaded or ordered for FREE! It is not a replacement for the two books mentioned earlier but it is useful.
http://tinyurl.com/3p8gdhttp://tinyurl.com/3p8gd
I highly recommend the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. They have a website but their extensive records aren't online. I've found birth parishes in Sweden in these records and have learned a great deal about my ancestors after they emigrated in their records.
http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/
The Swedish Roots site is very interesting and helpful.
http://www.genealogi.se/roots/http://www.genealogi.se/roots/
This site shows maps of Swedish counties, old and modern.
http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/swe_counties_map_eng.htmhttp://www.algonet.se/~hogman/swe_counties_map_eng.htm
This site shows a map of Swedish provinces.
http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/swe_provinces_map_eng.htmhttp://www.algonet.se/~hogman/swe_provinces_map_eng.htm
Post on Swedish boards and you can get help with the language, especially if you provide the page number (GID #) from the Genline site. (a pay site described above)
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.scan-balt.sweden.generalhttp://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.scan-balt.sweden.general
http://genforum.genealogy.com/sweden/http://genforum.genealogy.com/sweden/
http://genealogi.aland.net/discus/http://genealogi.aland.net/discus/
As an example, look at a recent response I received on the Anbytarforum board. I provided a GID #, told the Swedes what I needed, and I received a very quick, helpful response from two people. The difference in language won't prove to be a problem if you just try. This is much easier than it seems before you start.
Remember this is my example and not related to your question.
http://genealogi.aland.net/discus/messages/2450/90687.html?1150816208http://genealogi.aland.net/discus/messages/2450/90687.html?1150816208
Judy
More Replies:
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Re: Does anyone have relatives with a "Svanti" Olsson from Sweden
Judy Baouab 6/25/06
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Re: Does anyone have relatives with a "Svanti" Olsson from Sweden
Lori Mackie 6/25/06
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Re: Does anyone have relatives with a "Svanti" Olsson from Sweden