Glossary

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Glossary Of Swedish Genealogy Terminology

Here is a wonderful collection of Swedish Genealogy Terminology.

SOURCE

Swedish/English Dictionary, 
Genealogy Terms

Svensk/Engelsk ordlista över släktforskningstermer

[Föregående sida] [Startsidan]

På denna sida följer ett urval av släktforskningsord och uttryck med engelsk översättning

Se även / See also: Ordlista militära termer / Dictionary military terms 
och / and Ordlista gamla sjukdomsnamn / Dictionary - Names of diseases in earlier times 
eller / or Ordlista över ortnamn / Dictionary - Names of Places

Svenska/Swedish

Engelska/English

Adel

Noble (of noble birth) / The nobility

Adelsman

Nobleman

Amiralitetet

The Admiralty (Navy)

Ana (förfader)

Ancestor (forefather) / a person in an ancestor chart

Anor (förfäder)

Ancestors (forefathers) / persons in an ancestor chart

Ansedel / personakt

A personal record containing biographical data about an ancestor

Antavla

Ancestor chart 
A chart where a specific person forms the starting point for a genealogical study of this persons ancestors.

Anförlust

???
A married couple normally have eight ancestors in the second generation, four on each side. However if two cousins marry they will partly have jointly grandparents. We have “lost” 2 persons in the second generation (6 instead of 8). This kind of situation in an ancestor chart is called “anförlust” in Swedish.

Arrendator

Tenant

Arrende

Tenancy

Arv

Inheritance

Arvsskifte

Distribution of an inherited estate

Assessor

Deputy judge

Barbarnsbarn

Great-grandchildren

Barn

Children

Barnbarn

Grandchildren

Barnhus

Orphanage

Barnmorska

Midwife

Bataljon

Battalion

Begravning

Burial / funeral

Begravd i stillhet / begravd i tyshet

”Begravd i stillhet” or ”begravd i tyshet” means that it was a quite funeral with only the closest family present.

Beväring

Conscript (soldier), recruit

Biskop

Bishop

Bonde

Farmer

Borgmästare

Mayor

Bouppteckning

Estate inventory proceeding

Bouppteckningsdokument

Probate records / estate inventory

Bror

Brother

Brorsdotter

Niece

Brorson

Nephew

Brud

Bride

Brudgum

Groom

Bruk (ex: järnbruk eller papperbruk)

Mill, for example ironworks or paper mill

Bruksarbetare

Laborer at a mill/factory.
Ironworks: ironworker / foundryman
Paper mill: millman

Brylling/fyrmänning

Third Cousin

Bröllop

Wedding

By

Village

Båtsman (motsv soldat)

Seaman/deck hand (Navy personal provided by the Allotment System)

Det stora nordiska kriget

The Great Nordic War

Dombok

Court records (court of law)

Domprost

Dean (church)

Domsaga

The territorial district of a Häradsrätt.

Dop

Baptism/christening

Dotter

Daughter

Dragon

Dragoon, light cavalryman, formerly an infantryman on horseback, however fought like foot soldiers (not on horseback)

Drottning

Queen

Dräng

Farm hand

Dödsboken

Death records

Dödsfödd

Stillborn

Egendom

Property / estate

Egendomsägare

Owner of a property / estate.
(An older Swedish spelling is: Egendomsegare)

Faddrar (vid dop)

Witnesses (at baptism)

Far

Father

Farbror

Uncle (father's brother)

Farfar

Grandfather (father's fathers or paternal grandfather)

Farfars far

Great-grandfather (on the father's side - paternal)

Farmor

Grandmother (father's mother or paternal grandmother)

Faster

Aunt (father's sister)

Fattig

Poor

Fattighus

Workhouse/poorhouse

Fattigjon

Pauper

Fideikommiss

Entailed estate

Fiskare

Fisherman

Fjärdingsman

Parish constable (UK) / 
Sheriff's Deputy (US)
A fjärdingsman was a deputy and didn't have the right to act in police matters on his own. He always had to act on orders by the länsman. See also länsman.

Flottan (örloggsflottan)

The Navy

Flytta

Move. "Flytta från" = move from. "Flytta till" = Move to. 

Flyttbetyg

Removal certificate 

Forskning

Research

Fort/Borg

Fortress

Fotsoldat

Foot soldier

Fregatt

Frigate

Friherre

Baron

Frånskild

Divorced

Furir

Sergeant

Fånge

Prisoner

Fältväbel

Sergeant major

Fängelse

Prison

Född

Born

Födelse

Birth

Födelsebevis, födelseattest

Birth certificate

Födelseboken

Birth records

Födelseort

Place of birth

Församling/socken

Parish

Föräldrar

Parents

Gallärflottan

Galley Feet

Garnison

Garrison

Generaldirektör

Agency Director (US)

Generalmönsterrulla              

General-muster roll

Gesäll

Journeyman

Gesällprov

Qualifying piece of work for an apprentice to become a journeyman in a guild

Gift (som i civilstatus)

Married

Gods (slott etc)

Estate, Manor

Godsägare

Landed proprietor, landowner, estate owner, land lord

Grenadjär

A form of infantryman

Greve

Count / Earl (UK)

Grosshandlare

Wholesale dealer, wholesaler

Gästgivare

Innkeeper

Gästgiveri

Inn

Handelsman

Merchant

Hantverkare

Craftsmen / artisan

Hembygdsgård

Local history center (US) / Village hall (UK) / Community centre

Hemvist

Residence

Herrgård

Country estate, Manor

Hertig

Duke

Hovrätt

Circuit court of appeal (Regional court)

Hovrättsråd

Judge of appeal

Husar

Light cavalryman

Husförhör

Household examination

Husförhörslängd

Clerical survey or household examination roll

Hustru

Spouse, wife

Hytta (järnbruk)

Smelting house

Håll och stygn

Pneumonia

Härad

Civil district within a court

Häradsrätt

District court in the countryside. Jurisdiction in one Härad.

Indelningsverket (militära)

Allottment system (the old system of organizing and financing the Swedish armed forces)

Infanteri

Infantry

Jordbruksarbetare, jordbrukare

Peasant

Katoliker

Catholics

Kavalleri / rytteri

Cavalry

Klart skepp (mil)

General quarters (naval term)

Klockare

Parish clerk

Knekt (soldat)

Soldier

Komminister/kaplan

Assistant minister, assistant vicar (rector)

Kommun

Municipality

Konfirmation

Confirmation

Kontrakt (kyrkan)

Rural deanery (church)

Kontraktsprost

Rural dean (church)

Krig

War

Krigsarkivet

Swedish Military Record Office / 
War Archive

Krigsfånge

Prisoner of war

Krigsmakten

The armed forces

Kronofogde

County Police Commissioner (UK) /
Enforcement Officer (US)

Kung

King

Kunglig

Royal

Kusin

Cousin

Kyrka

Church

Kyrkbokföring

Parish regestration

Kyrkböcker

Church records / Parish register

Kyrkogård/begravningsplats

Cemetery

Kyrkoherde

Vicar, parish priest, rector, parish minister

Kyrkvaktmästare

Verger, sexton 

Källa (informationskälla)

Source of information

Kön (man/kvinna)

Sex (male/female)

Lag

Law

Lagman

Chief judge in court of law

Landsarkiven

Regional/Provincial archives

Landsfiskal

District police superintendent (and public prosecutor)

Landshövding

County Governor

Landskap

Province

Lantarbetare

Peasant

Legosoldater/legoknektar

Mercenaries

Linjeskepp

Ships of the line

Lysning

Bann

Lytt

Crippled, disabled

Läkare

Physician

Län

County. The Swedish County (Län) have a role more similar to the State in the USA compared to the role of the US County. However the Swedish Counties doesn't have the independence of the States in the USA.
The US County is better compared to the Swedish “Kommun” (Municipally) rather then to the Swedish county (län).   
See also The subdivisions of Sweden into Provinces and Counties

Länsman

Chief Constable (UK) /
Sheriff (US)
A länsman was a local police officer and had the authority to act as a police and proceed with police work. See also "fjärdningsman" (deputy).

Lärling

Apprentice

Lönskaläge

Illicit relations between unmarried persons

Lösdrivare

Vagrant

Mantal

"Mantal" was a property tax code and every farm who had to pay taxes was assigned a "mantal". In the beginning (1600’s) one "mantal" meant a farm with a annual yield large enough to support the farmer's family and their farm hands.

In the forest provinces in northern Sweden a farm of 1 "mantal" had to be big to produce a yield corresponding to 1 "mantal". In the plains in southern Sweden, with a better climate and a richer soil, a farm could be a lot smaller than in the north and still produce a yield of 1 "mantal". So “mantal” is not a value for the size of the farm but rather it’s capability of yielding a good crop. Farms with the same “mantal” paid the same amount of tax.
Not all farms could produce a yield corresponding to 1 "mantal" but was still able support a family. It was common with farms of ½ "mantal or 5/8 "mantal" etc.  Throughout the centuries the “mantal” rating has changed into lower values. Farms have been split up between siblings due to inheritance and the tax code has been adjusted to that in order to get a fair taxation.
Farms in the 1700’s and 1800’s with a “mantal” rating of ½, ¼ or 1/8 could still support a family. A farm in the 1800’s with a “mantal” rating above 1 (1¼ for example) was a farm with a large yield. So, the “mantal” rates have changed over the years. Sometimes you will find the “mantal” rate for a fram in the Household Examination Rolls (Hfl).

Mantalsskriven

Registred for tax/census purposes

Mantalslängd

Tax/census records

Medborgerligt förtroende

[one's] civil (civic) rights 

Medelpad

Province of Medelpad

Menig

Private soldier

Militärtjänstgöring

Military service

Mor

Mother

Morbror

Uncle (mother's brother)

Morfar

Grandfather (mother's fathers or maternal grandfather)

Morfars far

Great-grandfather (on the mother's side)

Mormor

Grandmother (mother's mother or maternal grandmother)

Moster

Aunt (mother's sister)

Murare

Bricklayer

Måg

Son in law

Målsman

Guardian

Mästarbrev

A craftsmans diploma or certificate

Mönstring (mil.) 

Muster, inspection, review, enrollment

Namn

Name

Nationalitet

Nationallity

Nattvard

The Holy Communion

Nämndeman

Courts in Sweden don't have a system with juries. Instead there are a judge and a number of "nämndemän". The "nämdemän" are appointed laymen. They are not chosen by random, you have to apply and be approved by the local council / county council (a position of trust). It is not a profession but something that's done beside the nämndeman's ordinary profession.
Unlike a juryman the "nämndeman" actually is a member of the court and take an active part in the trial. Together with the judge they set the sentence. They can ask questions to the prosecuted.
In courts of appeal there are more professional lawmen (jurists) then "nämndemän". However, in district courts and city courts the "nämndemän" are in majority.

Officer

Officer

Ofärdig

Crippled, disabled

Ogift

Unmarried / single

Okänd fader

Father unknown 

Ort

Place

Oäkta barn

Illegitimate child

Pastor

Parish minister

Pastorat

Parish

Pastorsexpedition

Parish office

Patronymikon

Patronymic

Piga

Maid

Prins

Prince

Prinsessa

Princess

Proband

Proband or subject
The person you start with when you do genealogical table where you start with a specific person and do a genealogical research backward in time tracing this person's ancestors.

Profoss

Provost / Flogmaster (military)

Prost

Dean (church)

Protestanter

Protestants

Präst

Clergyman, vicar.  Priest (catholic).
Minister (frik).

Prästgård

Vicarage (UK), parsonage (US), rectory, minister's house

Rakt nedstigande led (släktskap)

A lineal (direct) descendant of... (kinship)

Rakt uppstigande led (släktskap)

In lineal (the direct line of) ascent (kinship)

Regemente

Regiment

Rekrytering

Recruitment

Religion

Religion

Repslagare

Rope-maker

Residensstad

County seat or County capital

Riddarhuset

The House of Nobility

Riksarkivet

The National Archive

Rulla

Record, roll

Rådhusrätt

City court

Räntmästare, 
äldre benämning på en tjänsteman som hade hand om en förvaltningsenhets ekonomi och förestod dess kontor

Treasurer

Rödsot

Dysentry

SCB utdragen

Civil registration

Sjukdom

Disease

Sjukhus

Hospital

Självmördare / Självspillning

A person who has committed suicide.
People who had committed suicide (or been executed) weren’t allowed to be buried at the church cemetery (consecrated earth). Instead they were to be buried by the “bödel” (executioner/hangman) somewhere else. If the suicide was committed due to mental derangement, someone other than the executioner was allowed to bury the dead, however not at the church cemetery.
From 1864 the Church agreed to bury suicides at the cemetery, but the funeral ceremony had to be "i stillhet" (quiet). However, from 1894 this type of burial could be performed the same as any other burial.
”Begravd i stillhet” or ”begravd i tyshet” meant in those days that there was no
bell ringing at the funeral (quiet funeral). A funeral without bell ringing was considered to be degrading.

Sjömän

Seamen, Sailors

Skarprättare, bödel

Executioner, hangman

Skatt (ex: inkomstskatt)

Tax

Skattefrihet

Exemption from land dues to the crown

Skild

Divorced

Skomakare

Shoemaker

Skogsvaktare

Forest ranger or forester

Skrå

Guild

Skräddare

Tailor

Slott, Borg

Castle

Släkten Högman

The Högman Family

Släktforskare

Genealogists

Släktforskning

Genealogy

Släktforskning

Genealogical research

Släktforskningslitteratur

Literature on Genealogy

Släktföreningar

Family Societies

Småbrukare (mindre jordbruk) / Lantbrukare

Small farmer / Peasant

Snickare

Carpenter

Socken/församling

A geographical area served by a church, an ecclesiastical unit. In other words a parish
(the church socken). 

Socken (lokalt styre)

The worldly (secular) socken - A geographical area for local administration. 
A local administration council (sockenstämma) ran the "socken". 
Before 1862, the church "socken" and the administrative "socken" encompassed the same territorial area. However, the worldly "socken" was replaced by an administrative subdivision called "kommun" (municipality) in that year.    

Sockenstämma

Local administration council

Soldattorp

Soldier's croft

Son

Son

Spinnsidan (av en släkt)

The distaff side (of a family)

Stad

City or town

Stadsfiskal (åklagare)

Public prosecutor

Stamfar

First ancestor / progenitor / forefather
The person you start with when you do a pedigree (descendant chart) where you start with a specific person and do a genealogical research forward in time tracing this person's descendants.

Stamtavla

Pedigree / Descendent chart
A chart where a specific person forms the starting point (progenitor/ancestor) for a genealogical study of this persons descendants.

Stadsarkiv

City Archives

Statare

Agricultural labourer receiving allowance (payment) in kind

Statsminister

Prime Minister

Statssekreterare

Under-secretary of State

Stift (kyrkostift)

Diocese

Svenska kyrkan

Church of Sweden

Svensk adel

Swedish nobility

Svenska stormaktstiden

The Swedish Great Power period

Sveriges Riksdag

The Swedish Parliament

Svåger

Brother-in-law

Svägerska

Sister-in-law

Svärdsidan (av en släkt)

The male line (of a family)

Syskon

Sibling / Brothers and sisters

Syssling/tremänning

Second Cousin

Syster

Sister

Testamente

Will ( last will and testament)

Tingsrätt

District court. Replace the older Häradsrätt.

Torp

Crofter's holding or cottage

Torpare

Crofter, tenant. 
The tenant had to do a certain number of a full days' work per year on the landowner's land or estate as a payment for the tenancy.

Trolovad

Engaged to be married

Tullen

Customs

Utfattig

Destitute

Valuta

Currency

Vanför

Crippled, disabled

Vapensköld

Coat of arms (escutcheon)

Vigsel

Marriage

Välborne / Högvälborne

the Honorable xxxx / the Right Honorable yyyy.
The title "the Honourable" was carried by younger sons of counts (earls in the UK) and by children of barons plus by ladies-in-waiting (hovdamer), members of the Supreme Court (högsta domstolen ) and by certain government officials etc.

The title "the Right Honourable" was carried by counts (earls in the UK) and barons etc.

In other words, born of noble family.

The masculine form is Välborne / Högvälborne and the the feminine form is Välborna / Högvälborna.

Värnplikt

National service (mil.)

Värnpliktig

A person liable for military service, a military (national) serviceman, conscript. A draftee.

Värvning (mil.)

Enrolment, enlistment

Yrke

Occupation, profession

Åbo

Tenant farmer with a conditional, inherited lease

Åklagare

Prosecutor

Ålderman

Alderman

Ägare

Owner / proprietor
(An older Swedish spelling is: Egare).

Äktenskap

Marriage

Äktenskapsbrott

Adultery

Ärkebiskop

Archbishop

Ättling

Descendant / a person in a pedigree

 
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