Norway Archives and Libraries
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- Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
- If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
- Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the FamilySearch Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.
Online Records
Although the records you need may be in an archive or library in Norway, the FamilySearch Library and the Norwegian American Genealogical Center (NAGC) (see "Norway Societies") may have a digitized and/or online copy of them.
Digitalarkivet (The Digital Archives)
The Digitalarkivet (Digital Archives) is a public service from the National Archives of Norway. Original, indexed, and transcribed records can be searched for free.
National Archives
The Norwegian government collects records relating to Norwegian history, culture, and people. Records of genealogical value at the national archives include census records, military records, and emigration lists. The National Archives of Norway is open to the public. You may purchase microfilms or request photocopies of the records by using forms obtained from the archives.
Riksarkivet (National Archive)
Sognveien 221, Kringsjå
Oslo, Norway
Postal Address: Postboks 4013, Ullevål stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway
Phone: 47 22 02 26 00
Fax: 47 22 23 74 89
E-mail: riksarkivet@arkivverket.no
Website: Riksarkivet i Oslo (National Archives and State Archives)
- Digitalarkivet (Digital Archives) National Archives of Norway. Probate Records, State Censuses from 1664-1920, Property Records
- Find Your Ancestors in Norway
Regional/Municipal Archives
In Norway there are eight regional archives and 1 Sami Archive. They serve as repositories for records of their particular areas. Records of genealogical value at regional archives include birth, marriage, and death records (church records); land records; and court records. The regional archives of Norway are open to the public. The regional archives may also have records on microfilm for areas that are not under their jurisdiction. The archives also have much of the printed genealogical material such as farm books (bygdebøker) that pertains to the area they cover. Check what hours they are open before you visit. Hours of operation are usually shorter during the summer.
The regional archives for the various counties [fylker] are listed below.
For Østfold, Akershus, and Oslo counties (Fylke
Statsarkivet i Oslo (State Archive in Oslo)
Address: Sognveien 221, Kringsjå, Oslo, Norway
Write to:
Postboks 4015 Ullevål stadion
0806 Oslo
Norway
Phone: 47 22 02 26 00
Fax: 47 22 23 74 89
Statsarkivet i Oslo
E-mail: saoslo@arkivverket.no
IKA Østfold Interkommunale Arkivselskap, Sarpsborg
Address: Postboks 237, 1702 Sarpsorg
Phone: +47 69 11 63 05
IKA Østfold Interkommunale Arkivselskap, Sarpsborg
E-mail: ika.ostfold@sarpsborg.com
Byarkivet i Frederikstad (City Archive in Frederikstad)
Address: Nygaardsgata 42-44, 1606 Fredrikstad
Phone: +47 69 30 61 64
Byarkivet i Frederikstad
E-mail: postmottak@fredrikstad.kommune.no OR servicetorget@fredrikstad.kommune.no
For Buskerud, Vestfold, and Telemark Counties (Fylker)
Byarkivet i Drammen (City Archive in Drammen)
Address: Engene 1, 3015 Drammen, Norway
Phone: +47 32 04 62 85
Byarkivet i Drammen
E-mail: kommunepost@drmk.no
Statsarkivet i Kongsberg (State Archive in Kongsberg)
Address: Frogsvei 48, 3611 Kongsberg, Norway
Phone: +47 32 04 62 85
Statsarkivet i Kongsberg
E-mail: postmottak@ikakongsberg.no
Vestfoldarkivet (Vestfold Archives)
Address: Hinderveien 10, 3223 Sandefjord, Norway
Phone: +47 970 67 296
Vestfold Arkivet
E-mail: vestfoldarkivet@vestfoldmuseene.no
For Oppland and Hedemark counties (Fylker)
Statsarkivet i Hamar (State Archive in Hamar)
Lille Strandgate 3, 2317 Hamar, Norway
Write to:
(Postboks 533) 2304 Hamar Norway
Phone: 47 65 55 54 40
Fax: 47 62 52 94 48
Statsarkivet i Hamar
E-mail: sahamar@arkivverket.no
Fylkesarkivet i Oppland (County Archive in Oppland)
Address: Fakkelgården, Vormstugguvegen 40, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
Phone: +47 61 27 18 00
Fylkesarkivet i Oppland
E-mail: fylkesarkivet@oppland.org
For Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties (Fylker)
Statsarkivet i Kristiansand
Address:Märthas vei 1, 4633 Kristiansand, Norway
Phone: +47 38 14 55 00
Statsarkivet i Kristiansand
E-mail: sakristiansand@arkivverket.no
Interkommunalt Arkiv i Vest-Agder i Kristiansand (Inter-municipal Archive in Vest-Agder in Kristiansand)
Address: Marthas vei 1, 4633 Kristiansand, Norway
Phone: +47 38 14 55 91
Interkommunalt Arkiv i Vest-Agder i Kristiansand
Kuben, Aust-Agder Museum og Arkiv (Kuben, Aust-Agder Museum and Archive)
Address: Parkveien 16B, 4838 Arendal, Norway
Phone: +47 37 01 79 00
Kuben, Aust-Agder Museum og Arkiv
E-mail: postmottak@aaks.no
For Rogaland County (Fylke)
Statsarkivet i Stavanger (State Archive in Stavanger)
Address: Bergelandsgate 30, 4012 Stavanger, Norway
Phone: +47 51 50 12 60
Statsarkivet i Stavanager
E-mail: sastavanger@arkivverket.no
Stavanger Byarkiv (Stavanger City Archive)
Address: Lars Hertervigs Gate 2, 4005 Stavanger, Norway
Phone: +47 51 50 71 58
Stavanger Byarkiv
E-mail: byarkivet@stavanger.kommune.no
IKA Interkommunalt Arkiv i Rogaland (Inter-municipal Archive in Rogaland)
Address: Bergelandsgata 30. 4012, Stavanger, Norway
Phone: +47 51 50 12 83
Interkommunalt Arkiv i Rogaland
E-mail: epost@ikarogaland.no
For Hordaland, Bergen, and Sogn og Fjordane counties (Fylker)
Statsarkivet i Bergen (State Archive in Bergen)
Address: Årstadveien 22, 5009 Bergen, Norway
Phone: 47 55 96 58 00
Fax: 47 55 96 58 01
Statsarkivet i Bergen
E-mail: sabergen@arkivverket.no
Fylkesarkivet i Sogn & Fjordane (County Archive in Sogn & Fjordane)
Address: Askedalen 2, 6863 Leikanger, Norway
Phone: +47 57 63 80 00
Fylkesarkivet i Sogn & Fjordane
E-mail: postmottak.sffarkiv@sfj.no
Hordaland Fylkeskommune arkiv (County Municipal Archive in Hordaland)
Address: Agnes Mowinckels gate 5, 5008 Bergen Norway
Phone: +47 55 23 90 00
Hordaland Fylkeskommune arkiv
IKA Interkommunalt arkiv i Hordaland (Inter-municipal archive in Hordaland)
Address: Kalfarveien 82, 5022 Bergen, Norway
Phone: +47 55 30 60 90
Interkommunalt arkiv i Hordaland
E-mail: post@ikah.no
Bergen Byarkiv (Bergen City Archive)
Address: Kalfarveien 82, 5022 Bergen, Norway
Phone: +47 55 56 62 83
Bergen Byarkiv
E-mail: post.byarkivet@bergen.kommune.no
For Møre og Romsdal, Sør-Trøndelag, Nord-Trøndelag, and Nordland counties (fylker)
Statsarkivet i Trondheim (State Archive in Trondheim)
Address: Maskinistgata 1, 7042 Trondheim Norway
Phone: +47 72 54 82 80
Statsarkivet i Trondheim
E-mail: trondheim-byarkiv.postmottak@trondheim.kommune.no
IKA Trøndelag (Inter-municipal Archive in Trøndelag)
Address: Båtsmannsgata 4, 7042 Trondheim, Norway
Phone: +47 970 99 050
IKA Trøndelag
E-mail: postmottak@ika-trondelag.no
Arkiv i Nordland (Archive in Nordland)
Address: Kudalsveien 6, 8026 Bodø, Norway
Phone: +47 994 09 500
Arkiv i Nordland
E-mail: post@nfk.no
IKA Møre & Romsdal Arkiv (Inter-municipal Archive Møre & Romsdal)
Address: Kirkegata 10, 6004 Ålesund, Norway
Phone: +47 70 16 51 80
IKA Møre & Romsdal Arkiv
E-mail: postmottak@ikamr.no
For Troms and Finnmark counties (Fylker)
Statsarkivet i Tromsø (State Archive in Tromsø)
Address: Huginbakken 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
Write to: Pb 6315, 9293 Tromsø, Norway
Phone: 47 77 64 72 00
Fax: 47 77 64 72 01
Statsarkivet i Tromsø
E-mail: satromso@arkivverket.no
Tromsø byarkiv (Tromsø City Archive)
Address: Grønneegata 94, 9008 Tromsø, Norway
Phone: +47 77 79 09 00
Tromsø byarkiv
E-mail: byarkivet@tromso.kommune.no
IKA Interkommunalt Arkiv Troms
Address: Huginbakken 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
Phone: +47 414 80 935
Interkommunalt Arkiv Troms
E-mail: postmottak@ikatroms.no
Samisk Arkiv /Sámi Arkiiva (The Sámi Archives)
Hánnoluohkká 45, Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino
Write to: Diehtosiida, 9520 Kautokeino,bNorway
Phone: +47 78 44 85 60
Samisk Arkiv
E-mail: samisk.arkiv@arkivverket.no
Church Parish Offices
Church records containing an entry dated less than 80 years ago are kept at the local parish office. All others are sent to the state archives for the area. It is possible to write to local parishes in English. See Norway Church Records for more information.
Libraries
Nasjonalbiblioteket, avdeling Oslo*
Henrik Ibsens gate 110
0255, Oslo, Norway
Postal address: Postboks 2674
Solli N-0203, Oslo, Norway
Phone: 47 81 00 13 00
Fax: 47 23 27 60 50&
- The Nasjonalbiblioteket is the largest library in Norway and its function is similar to that of The Library of Congress. By law they are to receive a copy of everything that is published in all media formats in Norway.
The main public libraries in Oslo and Bergen have large collections, and the collections of family histories, local histories, and biographical works are extensive.
Deichmanske Bibliotek
Arne Garborgs plass 4
N-0179 Oslo, Norway
Postal address
Deichmanske Bibliotek
Postboks 1453, Vika Oslo, Norway
Phone: 47 23 43 29 00
Fax; 47 22 11 33 89
E-mail:deichman@deichman.no
Website
Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek
Strømgaten 6
5015 Bergen
Norway
Phone: 47 55 56 85 60
Fax: 47 55 56 85 70
Website
E-mail:fido@bergen.folkebibl.no
Norsk Lokalhistorisk Institutt (Norwegian Local History Institute)
Observatoriegate1b
0254 Oslo, Norway
Postal address: Postboks 8045
Dep., 0031, Oslo, Norway
Phone: 47 22 92 51 50
Fax: 47 22 92 51 30
E-mail: nli@lokalhistorie.no
Website
Det Norske Utvandrersenteret (The Norwegian Emigration Center)
Strandkaia 31
N-4005 Stavanger, Norway
Phone: 47 51 53 88 60
Fax: 47 51 53 88 63
E-mail: Detnu@telepost.no
Website
- The Norwegian Emigration Center in Stavanger, Norway, is a foundation supported by the county or Rogaland, the city of Stavaanger, and the community of Tysvær. The center has a copy of most of the published material about Norwegian families as well as an almost complete collection of Norwegian church, census, and emigration records. The center also has passenger lists from the Norwegian American Line and one of the largest collections of farm books (bygdebøker). They answer questions and do research for a nominal fee.
Museums
There is an emigration museum with an archive located in Otterstad with an extensive collection about Norwegians in America. They have more than 7,000 emigrant letters, microfilm of about 2,000 Norwegian Lutheran Churches in America from around 1840-1900, and a collection of about 9,000 photographs.
Norsk Utvandrermuseum (Norwegian Emigration Center)
Åkershagan
3212 Otterstad, Norway
Phone:47 62 57 48 50
Fax:47 62 57 48 51
E-mail: admin@emigrantmuseum.no
Website
Historical and Genealogical Societies
Norway has some organized historical and genealogical societies. Some maintain libraries or archives that collect valuable genealogical records. For more information, including addresses of some societies, see Norway Societies.
Norwegian-American Archives and Libraries
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
321 Bonnie Lane
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: 1-847-690-9410
E-mail: archives@elca.org
- The archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have microfilm copies of most of the Norwegian-American Lutheran church records. The copies can be loaned via the mail for a nominal fee. The ELCA is divided into nine regions.
The Memorial Library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has one of the largest collections of Norwegian local histories in the United States, and these histories contain much genealogical information. Dennis Auburn Hill has published a bibliography of their holdings:
- Norwegian Local History: A Bibliography of the Material in the Collections of the Memorial Library (Jefferson, NC, USA: McFarland, 1989; FS Library book 977.583/M1 A3hi;
Other libraries that have large collections of Norwegian local histories include:
Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota—Grand Forks
Mikkelsen Library, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Rølvaag Library, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota