Norway Archives and Libraries

Norway Archives and Libraries Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm. This section describes the major repositories of genealogical and historical records and sources for Norway. If you plan to visit one of these repositories, contact the organization and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. When writing to an archive in Norway, you may write in English. Although the records you need may be in an archive or library in Norway, the Family History Library and the Norwegian American Genealogical Center (NAGC) (see the "Societies" section) may have a microfilm copy of them. The Family History Library has copies of many records from Norwegian archives and libraries. In Norway there are several major types of genealogical repositories: National archives Regional archives Church parish offices University and public libraries Historical and genealogical societies  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) Folke Bernadottes vei 21 Postboks 4013, Ullevål stadion 0862, Oslo Norway Phone: 47 22 02 26 00 Fax: 47 22 23 74 89 E-mail: riksarkivet@arkivverket.no Internet:http:www.riksarkivet.no Regional Archives In Norway there are nine regional archives. 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 hte 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 (Fylker) Statsarkivet i Oslo (State Archive in Oslo) Folke Bernadottes vei 21 Postboks 4013 Ullevål stadion 0862 Oslo Norway Phone: 47 22 02 26 00 Fax: 47 22 23 74 89 http://www.riksarkivet.no/oslo/om.html E-mail:  statsarkivet.oslo@arkivverket.no For Buskerud, Vestfold, and Telemark Counties (Fylker) Statsarkivet i Kongsberg (State Archive in Kongsberg) Frogsvei 44 3611 Kongsberg Norway Phone: 47 32 86 99 00 Fax: 47 32 86 99 10 http://www.riksarkivet.no/kongsberg/om.html E-mail: statsarkivet.kongsberg@arkivverket.no For Oppland and Hedemark counties (Fylker) Statsarkivet i Hamar (State Archive in Hamar) Lille Strandgate 3 (Postboks 533) 2304 Hamar Norway Phone: 47 62 55 54 40 Fax: 47 62 52 94 48 http://www.riksarkivet.no/hamar/om.html E-mail:  statsarkivet.hamar@arkivverket.no For Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties (Fylker) Statsarkivet i Kristiansand Märthas vei 1 Serviceboks 402 4633 Kristiansand Norway Phone: 47 38 14 55 00 Fax: 47 38 14 55 01 http://www.riksarkivet.no/kristiansand/om.html E-mail:  statsarkivet.kristiansand@arkivverket.no For Rogaland County (Fylke) Statsarkivet i Stavanger (State Archive in Stavanger) Bergjelandsgate 30 4012 Stavanger Norway Phone: 47 51 50 12 60 Fax: 47 51 50 12 90 http://www.riksarkivet.no/stavanger/om.html E-mail:  staatsarkivet.stavanger@arkivverket.no For Hordaland, Bergen, and Sogn og Fjordane counties (Fylker) Statsarkivet i Bergen (State Archive in Bergen) Årstadveien 22 5009 Bergen Norway Phone: 47 55 96 58 00 Fax: 47 55 96 58 01 http://www.arkivverket.no/bergen/om.html E-mail:  statsarkivet.bergen@arkivverket.no For Møre og Romsdal, Sør-Trøndelag, Nord-Trøndelag, and Nordland counties, write to: Statsarkivet i Trondheim Maskingata 1 7042 Trondheim Norway Phone: 47 73 88 45 00 Fax: 47 73 88 45 40 http://www.riksarkivet.no/trondheim/om.html For Troms and Finnmark counties, write to: Statsarkivet i Tromsø Breivika 9293 Tromsø Norway Phone: 47 77 64 72 00 Fax: 47 77 64 72 01 http://www.statsarkivet.no/tromso/om.html Samisk Arkiv (The Sámi Archives) Ájastealli 3 9520 Kautokeino Norway Phone: 47 78 48 50 11 Fax: 47 78 64 48 50 42 E-mail: os@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 and do so in English. See also the "Church Records" section for more information . University and Public Libraries Useful sources are also available in major libraries in Norway and the United States. Contact these libraries for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. The University Library [Universitetsbiblioteket] in Oslo functions much as the Library of Congress in the United States. The University Library has a copy of most published material in Norway. Its address is: Bibliotek for Humania og samfundsvitenskap Postboks 1009 Blindern 0315 Oslo Norway Phone: 47 22 85 91 02 Internet: www.ub.uio.no/ The Norwegian Emigration Center is a division of the regional archive in Stavanger. The address for this archive and the Norwegian Emigration Museum are listed under the "Emigration and Immigration" section. The main public libraries in Oslo and Bergen have large collections of most published material in Norway. Their collections of family histories, local histories, and biographical works are extensive. Their addresses are: Deickmanske Bibliotek Henrik Ibsensgate 1 N-0179 Oslo 1 Norway Phone: 47 22 03 29 00 Fax: 47 22 11 33 89 E-mail: deichman@deich.folkebibl.no Internet: www.deich.folkebibl.no Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek Strømgaten 6 5015 Bergen Norway Phone: 47 55 56 85 60 Fax: 47 55 56 85 70 http://www.bergen.folkebibl.no/ There are several libraries in Norway that have genealogical information that may be searched on the Internet at: www.bibsyst.no/bibliofil/bibilitek.html Arkivnett Norge (Norway archives on the net) is another useful site: www.arkivnett.riksarkivet.no/ 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; FHL 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 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 the "Societies" section. Archives in the United States 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 regional archives may have additional information. To contact staff with questions about he Norwegian Lutheran church records in the United States, go to: http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/Staff/Default.asp?app=staff&page=2&Unit=AR&Firstname=&Lastname=&Title= You may visit the ELCA archives in person by appointment only: ELCA Archives 321 Bonnie Lane Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 1-847-690-9410 http://www.elca.org/archives/ Other records of Norwegians in America are kept at the National Archives. These include service and pension, naturalization, immigration, and homestead records. For information, write to: The National Archives of the United States Washington, D.C. 20408 http://www.archives.gov/ Other United States records are kept on a state and county level. Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards Computers with modems can be useful tools for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. In fact, computer networks themselves serve as libraries. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial online services help family history researchers: Locate other researchers Post queries Send and receive e-mail Search large databases Search computer libraries Join in computer chat and lecture sessions You can use online services to find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Norway in many sources at local, provincial, national and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most information is available at no cost. Internet sites that include information about archives, censuses, church records, probate records, and military records are found in various sections of this outline. Some sites that act as an index to many useful Norwegian genealogical sites include: National Archive in Norway (Riksarkivet): www.riksarkiveet.no Digital Archive: www.hist.uib.no/arkivverket GenWeb: www.rootsweb.com/~wgnorway Family History Department www.familysearch.org/ Nordicnotes: www.nordicnotes.com Inventories, Registers, Catalogs Some archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. Write to each archive you are interested in for a guide to its collection. If one is available, study it before you visit or use the records during your visit so you can use your time more effectively. Some guides are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under the Place search with the heading ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES and the subheading INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, AND CATALOGS.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)