Frequently Asked Questions

• Can the National Archival Services of Norway help me with genealogical research?

• I would like to find out more about my family. How do I go about it?

• What kind of genealogical material is available on the internet?

• Are there any genealogical indexes sorted by name?

• What do I need to know to search through a parish register?

• Can I see whatever archive item I want?

• My neighbour has blocked the road to my cabin and denies me any further use of it. Is there anything in writing about the right of way to vacation homes?

• Can you get me a Death Certificate for my grandmother?

• How can I find my biological father?

• What can I find out about shipwrecks?

• I have heard that the Cabinet Protocols of the Norwegian Government are kept in the National Archives. Is that right?

• Where do I find town and country planning plans?

• Are there lists of awarded scientific grants and grant reports?

• Do you have drawings of churches in your archives?

• What kind of information can I find about immigrants to Norway?

• Where can I find fire assessment rates?

• I just heard that my uncle was convicted of treason after WWII. I would like to know whether this is true, and whether I may see his case.

• Can I reserve a seat in the reading room of the regional state archive or the National Archives?

Can the National Archival Services of Norway help me with genealogical research?
We can answer simple questions about genealogical research, but do not have the available resources to take on time-consuming searches. Genealogists are welcome to visit our reading rooms to conduct studies on their own. In the reading room, you can find parish registers for the entire country on microfilm or microfiche and view census returns on microfilm or borrow the originals. We also have an extensive library of family history and bygdebooks, as well as genealogical collections. In addition, the National Archives and the regional state archives offer other items that may assist your search, including records on military members, tax rolls, certificates of probate and letters of administrations, as well as registers of deaths.

I would like to find out more about my family. How do I go about it?
As a first step, you may want to read the information on our site on Genealogical Research.

What kind of genealogical material is available on the internet?
The census returns for 1801, 1865, and 1900, as well as the results of the censuses of males performed in the 1660s, are posted on the Digital Archives site. You will find that the site is available in English, but the data is in Norwegian. In addition, you can find smaller portions of results of the 1701 census of males, as well as the census returns from 1815, 1825, 1835, 1875, and 1891. Other source types, such as emigration lists, some parish registers, indexes of probate and estate administration cases, military rolls, fire assessment protocols, tax rolls and certificates of matriculation are also available online. The latter source types have only been made accessible for certain parts of the country. All parish registers for the entire country are scanned and available on this site.

Are there any genealogical indexes sorted by name?
The items posted on the Digital Archives site are searchable by name, but otherwise, you have to search the sources according to their individual setup – which rarely means organized alphabetically by name. Note that the spelling of names may differ and particularly surnames may change from one source to another.

What do I need to know to search through a parish register?
You need to know in which parish the relevant person resided. The parish registers cover individual parishes, and are hence not searchable across the country. They are kept in chronological fashion and sorted by the following topics: baptism, confirmation, marriage, and burial. You may also find immunization records and forms indicating moves to and from the parish there.

Can I see whatever archive item I want?
The majority of our material is freely accessible to the public, but several archives or portions of archives are restricted for a minimum of 60 years.
If you want to know more, please go to the information on Access to Recent Archival Material.

My neighbour has blocked the road to my cabin and denies me any further use of it. Is there anything in writing about the right of way to vacation homes?
Yes, provided that it has been registered with a court. Answers to most questions about real estate—whether property issues, borders, rights, or encumbrances—are found in the Court Registration Archives in the regional state archives. For more information, please go to Court Registration – Records of Registered Deeds and Mortgages.

Can you get me a Death Certificate for my grandmother?
The State Archives provide extracts from parish registers or the register of deaths.
Read more on how to proceed.

How can I find my biological father?
We have posted many sources related to biological origin under Personal Documentation. Here you can find more information on Paternity, Adoption, and War Children.

What can I find out about shipwrecks?
If you are looking for ships that sank along the Norwegian coast, you can find information in the archives left by Town Administrations kept in the regional state archives. The certificates issued by the Town Hall Courts [rådstueattestene] include information on damage at sea, shipwrecks and ship captures. These certificates are based on testimonies given before a Notary Public or a deposition in Maritime Court, which are found in the Records of Notary Public or in the Records of Supplementary (Maritime) Court Proceedings.

If the relevant ship sank in foreign seas, its case folder with the maritime accident statement is located in the Office of Maritime Affairs of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry. In its “Miscellaneous” series, Statistics Norway keeps some records on ships that sank in the period from 1876 to 1893. If the ship was sunk during WWI, the library can locate for you Sjøforklaringer over Norske skibes Krigsforlis 1914-1918 [Maritime Accident Statements for Norwegian Ships Sunk in Wartime: 1814-1918] published by the Office of Maritime Affairs. If the ship sank during WWII, there are two main sources: For shipwrecks in Norwegian waters, the case folder is kept in the archives of the Statens krigskaskoforsikring [the Norwegian Government’s war hull insurance program]. If the shipwreck occurred in foreign waters, its records belong in Nortraship’s special series on shipwrecks.

The Norwegian Maritime Museum has published the maritime accident statements from WWII in book form. These are also available as a searchable database on the website of The Norwegian Maritime Museum.

I have heard that the Cabinet Protocols of the Norwegian Government are kept in the National Archives. Is that correct?
Yes. The practice of keeping minutes from Cabinet meetings was introduced during WWII. These minutes are deposited with the National Archives when a new government takes over, but on the condition that the party or parties that have been in power get to decide who may see the material during the initial years (10-40 years). After that period, the minutes are treated like any other public records.

Where do I find town and country planning plans?
This area of issues has done the rounds among various offices, but all records from the period 1864-1972 are now gathered in the Department of District Planning of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. Certain blueprints, drawings, and maps are kept in the folders for the individual regulation plans. The National Archives has its own collection of regulation maps. This system has been in effect since the passing of the Norwegian Building Act in 1845, which set forth that municipal administrations must deposit one copy of each regulation map with the National Archives. It should be noted that these are copies, not the original maps.

Are there lists of awarded scientific grants and grant reports?
The earlier Ministry of Education and Church Affairs was in charge of the awarding of government grants and certain foundation awards. From 1823 to 1865, this responsibility fell to the Office of Church and Clerical Affairs, then to School Office D from 1865 to 1898, and after 1898 to First School Office D, i.e. the Office of Science, Arts, and Broadcasting. This material includes applications with certifications and other attachments, as well as letters of recommendation. Grant reports are rarely included. Data from up to 1951 have been deposited with the National Archives.

Do you have drawings of churches in your archives?
Information on Norwegian churches as of the early 1800s to the 1960s is found in the “Parish Series” of the earlier Ministry of Education and Church Affairs in the holdings of the National Archives. Drawings are rarely included in the church folders.

What kind of information can I find about immigrants to Norway?
The Norwegian Alien Act was passed in 1901. The law obligated all travelers to Norway to obtain a residency permit from the police or the sheriff. Registers of issued residency permits were kept by the issuer, which enables us to find local immigration information for the period 1901-1917.

In addition, as of 1901, the archives of the Ministry of Justice contain lists of aliens that were deported from the country for some reason or other (The National Archives). On September 20, 1917, passports and visas were required of travelers to Norway. Prior to that, there were no central registers of travelers to Norway. As of 1812, moves to and from the districts were to be listed in the parish registers, but not all clergymen followed-up on this. Hence, these lists are not comprehensive. After 1845, the law required a letter of attestation from a clergyman from those who moved to another district. This information can be found in the collections of attestations by ministers kept in the regional state archives.

For the time period after 1917, data on immigrants are available in the Central Passport Office (National Archives). Information is also available in the alien registers of the police headquarters, which are kept in the regional state archives.

Where can I find fire assessment rates?
Fire assessment rates are available in Norges Brannkasse, the national fire insurance program. The records in the National Archives are copies of the fire assessment protocols, while any insurance claims filed are kept in the archives left by sheriffs and bailiffs in the regional state archives.

I just heard that my uncle was convicted of treason after WWII. I would like to know whether this is true, and whether I may see his case.
Documents from the police investigations of people suspected of treason are kept in a separate archive of treason trials files in the National Archives. Strict rules govern the access to and use of this type of documents. These rules are intended to secure privacy rights of the individuals concerned.

Can I reserve a seat in the reading room of the regional state archive or the National Archives?
No – first come, first served. Usually, there is not a problem finding a seat, but especially on Saturdays, there may occasionally be lines in front of the microfilm readers. Researchers working on major projects may apply for a private room in the National Archives.