Researching an Orphan in Sweden
Sweden > Orphanages in Sweden > Researching an Orphan in Sweden
(This article is under contstruction. Further information will be coming soon.)
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Tips
| a | Prior to 1790 there were more foundlings, and children whose parents had died (with no other support from family) that were brought to the Stora Barnhus. After 1790 unwanted illegitimate children became the majority of children taken to the orphanage. |
| b | If you are trying to find the parents of a child in Stockholm City, be aware, that household examination records for Stockholm city were difficult to maintain and keep accurate. By 1878 the practice was discontinued and a new system the Rotemansarkiv was created. |
| c | Information about an orphan can appear among the church books such as the household examination records (husförhörslängder), the moving in and out records (in och utflyttningslistor), and the record of assistance to the poor (fattigvård styrelsen.) |
| d | The payment of admittance to the orphanage can provide clues for the genealogist. Often the father’s name is given as a responsible party for payment. |
| e | It’s common in areas near Stockholm that the mother would assist in finding a foster home for her child (either through association or relations.) If there is a note of this, it may be written in the Barnhusrullor. |
| f | There should be a record of financial assistance from the orphanage to the foster family until the child is 14 years old. Once the child was of age 14 they were expected to find work, usually as a dräng or piga. |
| g | Depending on the circumstances, the orphanage would assign a “given name”, or a “surname” as needed. |
| h | In the Allmänna Barnhus records a note saying “barn utomhus” means the child was in foster care, a “barn inomhus” means the child was at the orphanage. |
| i | In the 1800’s less than 10% of anonymous birth mothers, or parents returned to get their child from the orphanage, or foster care. |
| j | A foster child was exempt from the Mantals tax until they were 18 years old. |
| k | The Order of the Seraphim provided additional funding for the orphanages beginning in 1791. Requests by private individuals or parish councils for additional funding in behalf of a foster child may be in the County archives for each County. These are found under the series GXbb within the Landskontor collections. |
References
Sveriges Släktforskarbörbund, “Att forska om barn på Allmänna barnhuset” Släktforskarnas årsbok ´97. City Tryck Karlstad AB, Karlstad 1997.
Clemmensson, Per and Andersson, Kjell. Släktforskaa vidare. Natur och Kultur, Falköping: 2003
Clemmensson, Per & Andersson, Kjell. Släktforska Steg för Steg. Natur och Kultur, Falköping 2005
Sveriges Släktforskarförbund, ”Barnhusbarn spreds över hela Sverige”. Släkthistorisk Forum 1983, no. 2
Reuterswärd, Elisabeth. ”Oäktingen” Fader Okänd. Sveriges Släktforskarförbund, Falköping 2011