Danish Probate Language
The following is a list of need-to-know words when researching through Danish probates:
| Afdøde |
deceased |
| Aftægtsmand |
|
| Arv/Arvinger/Arve afgift/Arve attest |
Inheritance/heirs/inheritance tax/ |
| Arvesummen |
|
| Aar gl. |
Years old |
| Boet |
|
| En Broderlod |
|
| Boslod/Lodseddel |
|
| Byfogeden |
The city baliff |
| Dødsanmeldelsesprotokoller |
|
| Dødsfald |
death |
| Ejendele/ Ejer (at ejer) |
Possessions/owns (to own) |
| Eksekutorskifte |
|
| En Enke/Enkemand |
Widow/widower |
| Forseglingsprotokoller |
|
| Gift |
Married |
| Halvdelen |
A half |
| Herred |
District |
| Hvidebøger |
“White Books” |
| Indtægt |
|
| Jordseddel |
A Jordseddel or a Muldseddel were certificates or confirmations from the Probate authorities to the deceased’s priest, that they had received notification and registered the death. The priest was not allowed to bury the dead until the probate authorities had received such notification. |
| Kammerjunker |
|
| Kommissarieskifte |
|
| Kongen |
The King |
| Kurator |
|
| Lavværge (can also be spelled Lauværge) |
A widow’s guardian who would be present with her during her deceased husband’s probate. Widows had the privilege to choose their own Guardian, which normally was one of her brothers. |
| Lodseddel/boslod |
|
| Mark |
Former Danish monetary unit. Worth less than a Rigsdaller but more than a skilling |
| Mindreaarige |
Under age |
| Muldseddel |
See Jordseddel |
| Myndige/ Myndigheds alderen |
”of age.” When children were considered adults. The age varied throughout Denmark but on average 15-18 years (considered mindreårige 18-25 years) for men. Women were never recognized as “of age” until 1857, and always had a guardian appointed to them. After 1857, the “of age” age for single women was the same as men. In 1922, everyone was considered “of age” when they turned 21 years old, and today the age is 18. |
| Myndigesluttet |
|
| m.f.P. |
Abbreviation meaning “med ført Pen,” or “with guided pen.” This abbreviation usually appears under the signatures of those witnessing the probate, who either could not write or just needed help with writing. |
| m.p.P. |
Abbreviation meaning “med påholden Pen,” or “with guided pen”. See “m.f.P.” |
| Overformynderiet |
Guardianship records |
| En pige |
A girl |
| Rd(l), Rigsdaller |
Former Danish monetary unit. Worth more than a mark or a skilling |
| Registeringsprotokoller |
|
| Samfrænder/smafrændeskifte |
|
| Skiftet/Skifter |
Probate/Probates |
| Skiftebrande |
|
| Skiftebrevet |
Probate letter |
| Skiftedesignationer |
|
| Skifteforvalteren |
|
| Skilling |
Former Danish monetary unit. Worth less than a Rigsdaller or a skilling |
| En Søsterlod |
|
| Tømmermand |
Carpenter |
| Udarvinger |
|
| Udarvs skifter |
|
| Udgivt |
|
| Umyndige |
A minor (children under 18; see Myndige/Myndigheds alder) |
| Vidner |
Witnesses |
| Vitterlighedsvidner |
|
| Vurderingsmænd |
|
| Værge |
Guardian. All minors (umyndige) were appointed a guardian, after a parents death, to represent them throughout the probate process. The Guardian appointed was typically the father’s eldest brother (if the father had died), or the father himself (if the mother had died). By law, the guardian must be from the father’s side unless there were no living male relatives of the father, in which case the guardian would be from the mother’s male relatives. |
References
Skaaning, Jytte and Bente Klercke Rasmussen. Find Din Slægt - og Gør den Levende: Håndbog i Slægtshistorie, 2d ed. Syddansk Universitetsforlag, 2006.