GENEALOGICAL WORD LIST

Norwegian
This list contains Norwegian words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a Norwegian-English dictionary. (See the Additional Resources section below.) Norwegian is a Germanic language like Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic. There are two official dialects in Norway. Prior to 1915 most Norwegian records are in a language closer to written Danish than modern Norwegian. You may also want to refer to the Danish Genealogical Word List (31029). Records published after 1915, such as family and local histories, are in modern Norwegian. Most differences between modern and old Norwegian are simply a matter of spelling. Carefully study the section below on spelling. This will help you find the words in this list. aa b c d e f g i tj used for used for used for used for used for used for used for used for used for p k t v k j kj j ld nd q u w x ch hj used for used for used for used for used for used for used for used for used for gj ll nn k v v ks k j

Examples: gjrtler mann kvinne spelled as spelled as spelled as girtler mand quinde

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a Norwegian-English dictionary. Several NorwegianEnglish dictionaries are available at the Family History Library. These are in the Scandinavian collection. Their call numbers begin with 439.82321. Family history centers can obtain the following dictionaries on microfilm: Scavenius, H. Glydendals Ordbker; Norsk-Engelsk [Gyldendals Dictionaries; Norwegian-English]. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1945. (FHL film 1224705, item 4) Scavenius, H. Glydendals Ordbker; Engelsk-Norsk [Glydendals Dictionaries; English-Norwegian]. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1945. (FHL film 1224705, item 3) Additional dictionaries are listed in the subject section of the Family History Library Catalog under NORWEGIAN LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES or in the locality section under NORWAY - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES.

LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS Variant Forms of Words

In Norwegian, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Whowhosewhom or marrymarriesmarried are examples of words in English with variant forms. The endings of a word in a document may differ from those in this list. For example: Mann Mannen Menn Mennene man the man men the men Kone Kona Koner Konene wife the wife wives the wives

Alphabetical Order
The Norwegian language has three additional letters: (), (), and (). In most record sources prior to 1915, () is written as Aa (aa) and filed at the beginning of the alphabet. Modern Norwegian dictionaries, indexes, the locality section of the Family History Library Catalog, and this word list use the following alphabetical order: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

KEY WORDS
In order to find and use specific types of Norwegian records, you will need to know some key words in Norwegian. This section lists key genealogical terms in English and the Norwegian words with the same or similar meanings. For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will

Spelling
Spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries. The following spelling variations are common.

find Norwegian words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined, and other words used in Norwegian records to indicate marriage. English banns birth burial census child christening clerical district confirmation death engagement father female husband index male marriage military mother moving in moving out name, given name, surname parents parish probate vaccination wife year Norwegian lysninger fdte, fdt begravelse, jordet folketelling barn dbte, dbt prestegjeld konfirmasjon,konfirmerede dde, dd forlovelse, trolovelse far kvinnekjnn ektemann register mannkjnn copulerede, egteviede, gift, vielse militr mor innflytning utflytning fornavn etternavn foreldre sogn skifte vaccinerede, vaksinert hustru r

Norwegian alltid almisse almisselem altergang amt amtmann andre anetavle anfall anfrte ankomst anmerkning annen, annet annen gang anno (Latin) annonsere antall april arbeider arkiv arv arvelodd arving astma at atten attende attest august av avdeling avdd avgangen avgift avkom avtale

English always charity indigent, poor Communion county chief county administrator others, other; next pedigree chart seizure, attack entered; mentioned arrival remark, notice, note second; another second time year publish, announce number, count April laborer archive inheritance share of inheritance heir asthma that eighteen eighteenth certificate August of, at, by, from part, division deceased departed duty (monetary), fee offspring, issue agreement

GENERAL WORDS
This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, and days of the week are listed both here and in sections that follow this list. Parentheses in the English column clarify the definition. Norwegian English

B
bakbygning baker bakke bannlyse baptist bar bar barnet bare barn barna barndom barnebarn barnedp barnefar barnls barsel barselfeber barselseng be 2 back building (additional residence behind the main building) baker hill excommunicate Baptist carried held child (at baptism font) only child children childhood grandchild child baptism childs father childless birth childbed fever birthing bed pray, request

AA
See .

A
absolvere adel adelig adelsmann adoptert adresse aften alder alderdomssvakhet aldri alle to give absolution nobility noble nobleman adopted address evening age weakness of old age never all

Norwegian beboer bededag bedrive hor befolkning begge begivenhet begravelse begravet behandle bemerkning ben benekte bende beruset besetning beskrivelse beslektet bestefar besteforeldre bestemor besvangre

English

Norwegian bruk brygger bryllup budeie by bygd bygdebok byll byllepest bre bkker bde bret bt btbygger btsmann

English farm; use brewer wedding milkmaid town, city small country community, village rural chronicles abscess plague (bubonic) carry cooper, barrel-maker both, either carried boat, ship shipbuilder boatswain, bosun

occupant, resident prayer day commit adultery population, people both event, occurrence funeral, burial buried handle, treat, manage remark leg; bone deny pardon drunk livestock; crew description related grandfather grandparents grandmother impregnate, get with child, make pregnant betale pay betler beggar bevilge grant bevis proof bibliotek library bind volume (book) biografi biography biskop bishop bispedmme diocese bli become blikkenslager tinsmith blind blind blod blood blodgang dysentery blodskam incest blodsott abnormal loss of blood during illness bo to live at bodde lived bok book bokhandler bookseller bokholder, bokfrer bookkeeper bokstav letter; character bolig residence, house bonde farmer bopel residence, domicile borger citizen borgermester mayor borgerskap citizenship bot fine brann fire brennevinsbrenner distiller of spirits brev letter (correspondence) bro bridge bror brother brordatter brothers daughter brorsnn brothers son brud bride brudgom bridegroom 3

C
cirka communion confirmerede copulerede approximately Communion confirmed marriage

D
dag dagen fr dagsarbeider dal Danmark dannekvinde dannemand dansk dato datter datterdatter dattersnn datum (Latin) dele dem den denne der deres derfor desember det difteri din disse diverse dokument domkirke dommer dragon dreng drengebarn drepe dronning day the previous day day laborer valley Denmark gentlewoman gentleman Danish date daughter daughters daughter daughters son dat to divide, to share them, they the, it, that this there their therefore December it, that, the diphtheria your these various document cathedral judge dragoon, light cavalryman boy male child kill queen

Norwegian druknet dydig d dbt(e) dd dde ddfdt ddsfall dgn dpt dtre dv dvstum dp dpsattest dpsdag

English drowned virtuous to die christening dead, death died, death stillborn death 24-hour period of time baptized, christened daughters deaf deaf and dumb baptism certificate of baptism day of baptism

Norwegian erkjenne et etasje etc. (Latin) etternavn evne

English acknowledge a, one floor, story et cetera; and so on surname, last intelligence

F
fabrikk faddere fallesyke falt familie familie historie far farfar farger farmor farsot farty fattig fattigvesnet februar felles fem femte femten femtende femti femtiende fengsel festning fetter Finnland finsk fire fisker fjell fjerde fjorten fjortende flere flittig flytte foged, fogd folio folk folkemengde folkeregister folketelling for foran forbldning foreldre foreldrels forening forfedre forhenvrende factory christening witnesses, godparents epilepsy fall, be killed in war family lineage books father paternal grandfather dyer paternal grandmother pestilence, plague vessel, craft poor welfare agency February common, joint five fifth fifteen fifteenth fifty fiftieth prison fortress cousin (male) Finland Finnish four fisherman mountain fourth fourteen fourteenth several, more diligent move bailiff, sheriff page (double) people population citizen register, national register census for, at, before, by in front of bled to death parents orphan society ancestors, forefathers former, previous, preceding

E
efter efterkommer efterlatte efterlevende eftermiddag efternavn egen egentlig egteviede eie, eje eiendom ekte ektefelle ektemann ektepar ekteskap ekteskapelig ekteviet eldre eldst elev eller elleve ellevte elv embete embetsmann emigrant emigrere en, et enebarn engelsk England enhver enke enkemann enkestand ennu epilepsi er erhverv after descendant surviving, survivors surviving afternoon surname, last name own actual marriage to own property, real estate legitimate, to marry spouse husband married couple marriage marital, conjugal married older oldest, eldest student or, or else eleven eleventh river, stream public office public official emigrant emigrate a, one only child English England each widow widower widowed yet, still epilepsy is, are livelihood 4

Norwegian forhus forkjlet forklaring forlate forlovelse forlovere formiddag formynder fornavn forpakter forrige forstand forstoppelse forsrges fortelle fortid forvalter foster fosterbarn fostre fra fraflytte fravrende fredag fremmed fremtid fru fruentimmer fruktsommelig frken full fullmektig fylke fyr fderd fderdskone fderdsmann fdested fdsel fdselsattest fdselsdag fdt(e) flgende fr frste frti frtiende fr

English house in front (usually the main house on a farm) to have a cold explanation leave; forgive engagement marriage witnesses between morning and afternoon guardian first name, given name manager of estate former intellect, mind constipation, obstruction is supported tell, relate past manager fetus foster child foster, to rear from leave, move away absent Friday foreign, foreigner future Mrs. unmarried mother, female person (derogatory) pregnant Miss full, complete; drunk head clerk, agent county lighthouse support received after giving ones estate to another woman on fderd man on fderd birthplace birth birth certificate birthday born (birth) following, next before first forty fortieth sheep; receives

Norwegian geografisk leksikon gift gikt gjeld gjenlevende gjennom gjestgiver gjet, gjeit gjeter gjrtler god gods godseier gratis grav graver gravlund gravsted gren grenader grense greve grevinne grunn gruve gruvearbeider grnn gudfar gudmor gull gulsot gulv gutt g grd grdbruker grdeier grsdagens

English gazetteer marriage, married; poison rheumatism debt survivors through innkeeper goat herdsman brazier, brass-smith good estate estate owner free grave gravedigger, sexton cemetery burial place branch infantryman boundary, border Count (nobility) Countess ground; reason mine, pit miner green godfather godmother gold jaundice floor boy go, walk farm farmer farm owner of yesterday

H
ha hadde halshugget halv halvbror halvsster ham han handelsmann hans hanskemaker har hattemaker havn heller helligdag hengt seg henne her 5 to have had decapitated half half brother half sister him he merchant, trader his glove-maker has, have hatmaker harbor rather holiday hanged himself/herself her here

G
gammel gartner garver gate gave geistlig old gardener tanner street gift, endowment ecclesiastical

Norwegian Herr herred Herren hest heter historie hittebarn hjem hjemme hjemmedpt hjemmehrende hjerte hjertefeil hjul hjulmaker holde horeri hos hoste hovedliste hun hundre(de) hus husar husbonde husholderske husmann husmor hustru hva hvem hver hvilken hvis hvit hvor hvordan hvorfor hvorvidt hsten hy hyre hndarbeide hndtering hndverk

English Mr. judicial district the Lord horse is named history orphan, foundling home at home baptized at home residing heart heart disease wheel wheelwright hold, stop adultery with, at cough census list she hundred (hundredth) house hussar, cavalryman head of household housekeeper cottager, tenant farmer housewife wife what who every which if, whose white where how why whether in the fall tall, high, hay right (side) handwork occupation trade, handicraft

Norwegian ingen inn inne i innerst innflytning innhold innsitter innsj innvandring intet introduceret Island islandsk

English none in inside renter; innermost moving in content renter lake immigration none introduced Icelad Icelandic

J
januar jeg jeger jomfru jordbruk jordet jordmor jordpkastelse jul juli juni jurist January I light infantry soldier; hunter damsel, Miss. virgin farming burial midwife ceremony of sprinkling earth on the coffin Christmas July June lawyer

K
kallet kanskje karet kart katolsk kavaleri kikhoste kirke kirkebok kirkegrd kirkevrge kiste kjent kjnn kjpe kjpmann klokker kloster kolikk kommune kone konfirmasjon konge kongedmme kongelig kontor kopper 6 named maybe, perhaps coach-builder, coach map Catholic cavalry whooping cough church parish register cemetery, churchyard church warden chest, coffin known sex buy merchant sexton, parish clerk, bellringer, deacon convent, monastery colic municipality, township wife confirmation king kingdom royal office smallpox; copper

I
i idiot iflge i gr, igr igjen i hjel, sl ikke ikke enda ild imellom i morgen, imorgen infeksjon in idiot according to yesterday again kill not not yet fire between, among tomorrow infection

Norwegian kort kort register krampe kreft krig ku kun kunngjre kunnskap kusine kusk kveg kvele kvell kvinne kvinnekjnn kyllinger kr krkone krmann

English short, card card index convulsions, spasm cancer war cow only declare knowledge cousin (female) coachman, teamster cattle choke evening woman female chickens support received after giving ones estate to another woman who receives kr man who receives kr

Norwegian lrling lpenummer lrdag lsaktig lsarbeider

English apprentice serial number Saturday loose or immoral woman day laborer

M
mai maler mandag mange mann mannkjnn mark mars, marts matrikkel matros mavesyke med medhjelper medlem med videre (Latin) meg mellom mellombygning men mer meslinger messingsmed mester midlertidig midnatt mil militr min mindre minearbeider minste minutt modig mor mord morfar morgen mormor motta murer musiker m.v. (Latin) myndig mbelsnekker mller mned May painter Monday many man, husband male field March land registration sailor diarrhea, stomach ailment with assistant, helper member et cetera; and so on me middle middle building but more, additional measles brazier, brass-smith master (of a trade) temporarily midnight metric mile (ten kilometers) military mine (belongs to me) lesser miner smallest, youngest minute courageous, brave mother murder maternal grandfather morning maternal grandmother receive mason musician See med videre of age furniture-maker miller month

L
la lagrettemann land landsby langfredag laugverge legd legdslem leie leier leilending lejerml lenge lensmann lese leve levende lignende lik likeledes lille lite (litt) liten liv los losjerende lov lovlig lungebetendelse luteraner lysning lysninger lregutt lrer lrerinne let, allow court member country village Good Friday widows guardian/spokesman welfare; military levying district welfare recipient hire, rent tenant leaseholder illicit and punishable intercourse long sheriff read live live, living same, alike, similar corpse; alike also, as well small little little, small life pilot (ship) boarder law legal pneumonia Lutheran post banns banns apprentice teacher (male) teacher (female)

N
nabo nadverd natt 7 neighbor Communion, sacrament night

Norwegian navn nedbrent nei neste neste r nev ni niende niese nitten nittende nitti nittiende noen nord november nu, n nulevende null nummer ny nyfdt nylig nyttr nr nringsvei n, nu nr

English name burned down no next, neighbor next year nephew nine ninth niece nineteen nineteenth ninety ninetieth some, any north November now living zero number new newborn lately new year near, close livelihood, trade now when, if; reach

Norwegian

English

P
pagina (Latin) pantebok parsell parykkmaker penger pensjon pensjonist person pest pike (pige) pikebarn pikenavn pinse pleiebarn pleiedatter pleiefar pleieforeldre pleiemor pleiesnn pottemaker preke prest prestegjeld prestekontor prins prinsesse p pske page mortgage record plot of land, allotment wigmaker money pension retired person person plague girl, maid female child maiden name, girls name Pentecost foster child foster daughter foster father foster parents foster mother foster son potter preach minister, priest clerical district parish office prince princess on, at, upon Easter

O
odel ofte og oktober oldebarn oldefar oldeforeldre oldemor om omegn omtrent omvendelse onkel onsdag opp oppe oppfostre oppholdsted opptegnelse ordbok ordfrer oss o.s.v. (Latin) over overlevende overtredelse birthright or alodial ownership often and October great-grandchild great-grandfather great-grandparents great-grandmother if, about neighboring places about, almost, nearly conversion uncle Wednesday up above, upstairs foster, to rear residence record dictionary mayor us See med videre over survivors transgression

R
register regjering regning regnskap reise religion repslager rett rettferdig ridder rik riktig rundt rytter rdmann index, register government bill account travel religion rope-maker court, right just, righteous knight wealthy correct around cavalryman councilman

S
sa sabbat salig salmaker samfunn samleie samme samme dag sammen 8 said, stated Sabbath deceased; holy, blessed saddler society intercourse same the same day together

Norwegian sammesteds samtlige samtykke sau seg seks seksten sekstende seksti sekstiende selv selveier selvmord senere seng sengeliggende separeret september side sidehus siden sin, sitt, sine sinnsvak sinnsyk siste siste olje sjette sju (syu) sjuende (syvende) sj sjmann skal skarlagensfeber skatt skibsfrer skifte skifteprotokoll skifteretten skilsmisse skilt skilper skjedde skjte skog skole skomaker skredder skriver skulle slag slakter slekt slektninger slektsforskning slektshistorie slektsvpen sl ihjel smed snart snekker sogn

English in the same place all consent sheep oneself six sixteen sixteenth sixty sixtieth self owner, freeholder suicide later bed bedridden separated September page, side side house since, later his/hers/its insane, retarded mentally ill last, latter last rites sixth seven seventh sea, lake sailor, seaman shall, must scarlet fever tax ships captain probate probate record book probate court divorce divorced infantry soldier on skis; skier happened deed (property) forest school shoemaker tailor scribe should strike, blow, stroke butcher relatives, family, lineage relatives genealogy family history, lineage books coat of arms kill smith soon cabinetmaker, carpenter parish 9

Norwegian soldat sorenskriver sort spebarn spillemann stabbur stamtavle stand stebarn stebror sted stedatter stefar steinhogger stemor stesnn stilling stor straff straks stum summa (Latin) summarisk svak svakhet svart svenn svensk Sverige svigerdatter svigerfar svigerinne svigermor svigersnn svoger svulst syd sydlig syerske syk sykdom sypike sytten syttende sytti syttiende syv syvende (sjuende) slv sndag snn snnedatter snnesn sr ssken sster sstersnn s sdan sledes

English soldier magistrate, probate judge black infant, baby musician, fiddler storehouse on pillars descendancy chart social position stepchild stepbrother place stepdaughter stepfather stonecutter stepmother stepson status, position, office large punishment right away, immediately mute (cant speak) totals statistical, summary weak weakness black journeyman Swedish Sweden daughter-in-law father-in-law sister-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law brother-in-law tumor south southern seamstress sick disease seamstress seventeen seventeenth seventy seventieth (sju) seven seventh silver Sunday son sons daughter sons son south siblings sister sisters son saw (see); so, if so; sow (seed) such thus, in this or that

Norwegian

English

Norwegian trossamfunn tuberkulose tukthus tusen(de) tvangsarbeide tvilling tyfus tysk Tyskland tyv tyve (tjue) tyvende (tyvende) tring tmmermann tnne

English religion consumption, tuberculosis prison thousand(th) hard labor, compulsory labor twin typhoid fever German Germany thief twenty twentieth tuberculosis carpenter, framer; ships carpenter barrel

T
tak takk takksigelse tall tambur tante testamente ti tid tidlig tidsperiode tidsskrift tiende tigger til tillatelse time tippoldefar tippoldemor tirsdag tittel tjene tjeneste tjenestedreng tjenestepige tjue (tyve) tjueannen tjueen tjuefem tjuefire tjuefjerde tjuefrste tjuende (tyvende) tjueni(ende) tjueseks tjuesjette tjuesju(ende) tjuetemte tjueto tjuetre(dje) tjuette(nde) to tohundre tollbetjent tolv tolvte torsdag tre trederte (trettiende) tredje tredve (tretti) tretten(de) trettien(de) trettifrste trolovelse trolovet trosbekjennelse roof thank you thanksgiving number, count drummer (soldier) aunt last will ten time early period of time periodical tenth, tithing beggar to, until, for dispensation, permission hour great-great-grandfather great-great-grandmother Tuesday title serve, work service servant, employee, male servant, employee, female twenty twenty-second twenty-one twenty-five twenty-four twenty-fourth twenty-first twentieth twenty-nine (twenty-ninth) twenty-six twenty-sixth twenty-seven(th) twenty-fifth twenty-two twenty-three (twenty-third) twenty-eight (twenty-eighth) two two hundred customs officer twelve twelfth Thursday three thirtieth third thirty thirteen(thirteenth) thirty-one (thirty-first) thirty-first engagement engaged creed 10

U
udpt uekte ugift uke ukjent ulovlig ulykke umoralsk umyndig under underholde underskrevne underskrift undertegnet ung ungkarl unntatt uskyldig ussel usmmelig utdrag uten utenfor utfattog utflytning utfre utgi uti utlagt utlandet utukt utvandre utvandrer utvandring unbaptized illegitimate unmarried week unknown, foreign illegal accident immoral under legal age under, below support the undersigned signature signed young bachelor except innocent miserable; poor indecent extract without outside of destitute, penniless moving out perform, do publish at, in named as, alleged foreign country lechery, fornication emigrate emigrant emigration

V
vaccinerede vaksinert vanfr vanskapt vaccination vaccination, vaccinated crippled, disabled deformed, handicapped

Norwegian var vattersot ved vedkommende ved siden av velstand venn venstre verge verneplikt vertshus vest vever vielse vielsesattest viet vitne vitnesbyrd vogn vognmann voldta vrdig vre vr vren

English was, were dropsy at, by person concerned next to prosperity friend left (side) guardian military duty inn west weaver marriage, wedding marriage certificate married witness testimony carriage, wagon, vehicle coachman rape worthy be our in the spring

Norwegian tte ttende tti ttiede

English eight eighth eighty eightieth

NUMBERS
In Norwegian genealogical sources, numbers are occasionally written out. This is especially common with dates. The following list gives the cardinal (1, 2, 3) and the ordinal (1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. Cardinal Ordinal 0 null 1 en, et 1st frste 2 to 2nd annen 3 tre 3rd tredje 4 fire 4th fjerde 5 fem 5th femte 6 seks 6th sjette 7 sju (syv) 7th sjuende (syvende) 8 tte 8th ttende 9 ni 9th niende 10 ti 10th tiende 11 elleve 11th ellevte 12 tolv 12th tolvte 13 tretten 13th trettende 14 fjorten 14th fjortende 15 femten 15th femtende 16 sekste 16th sekstende 17 sytten 17th syttende 18 atten 18th attende 19 nitten 19th nittende 20 tjue (tyve) 20th tjuende (tyvende) 21 tjueen 21st tjuefrste 22 tjueto 22nd tjueannen 23 tjuetr 23rd tjuetredje 24 tjuefire 24th tjuefjerde 25 tjuefem 25th tjuetemte 26 tjueseks 26th tjuesjette 27 tjuesju 27th tjuesjuende 28 tjuett 28th tjuettende 29 tjueni 29th tjueniende 30 tretti (tredve) 30th trettiende (tredevte) 31 trettien 31st trettifrste 40 frti 40th frtiende 50 femti 50th femtiende 60 seksti 60th sekstiende 70 sytti 70th syttiende 80 tti 80th ttiede 90 nitti 90th nittiende 100 hundre 100th hundrede 200 tohundre 200th tohundrede 1000 tusen 1000th tusende

Y
yngre yngst yrke younger youngest profession

rbdig re rlig ttegransking respectful honor honest genealogy

de delegge demark nske re st vre y ye, ie desolate, waste destroy wasteland, wilderness wish, desire, want ear east upper island eye

nd ndsvak r rhundre rlig rsak sted spirit mentally deficient year century annual, yearly cause, reason where event took place (place of event) 11

DATES AND TIME

Use the terms in this section and the Numbers section on the previous page to interpret dates.

Days of the Week

English Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Norwegian sndag mandag tirsdag onsdag torsdag fredag lrdag

Months
English January February March April May June July August September October November December Norwegian januar februar mars, marts april mai juni juli august september oktober november desember

1990, 2005 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. English approval 1/05. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. Send all requests for such permission to: Family and Church History Department ATTN: Copyrights and Permissions Coordinator 50 East North Temple Street, Rm 599 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3400 USA Second Edition, Apr. 1997.