Searching for Danish Relatives

[jbraden]

I came across this group when searching for information about my Great
Grandmother Hansen who emigrated from Saltum, Hjørring, Denmark with
her parents and siblings in 1871, and I thought I'd share some of the
tips I've uncovered. First, the Danish kept excellent records of
citizens who emigrated from Denmark, and have made these records
available online:

The Danish Emigration Archives
http://www.emiarch.dk/search.php3?l=en

Second, you have to understand that until the late 1800's Denmark did
not use a surname that remained the same from one generation to the
next. All children were given a last name which was derived from the
father's first name. A man named Nils Jensen whould have been the son
of a man named Jens. His male children would be given the last name
Nilsen, and his daughters would have a last name of Nilsdatter.

Third, most of the birth, death, and marriage records are kept in
church records by parish. These records are in Danish, and most are
handwritten, Many of them have been digitally scanned, and are also
available online if you have the patience and perseverence to sift
through them. Some valuable links I've uncovered are:

The Danish State Archives
http://www.sa.dk/content/us/

Parish Registers and Population Census
http://www.arkivalieronline.dk/English/default.aspx

The Danish Demographics Database
http://ddd.dda.dk/kiplink1.htm

Using this information, I've been able to find information about my
Great Grandmother's parents and grandparents back in Denmark. Best of
luck in your own research!

John Braden