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
N-0806, Oslo
Norway
Phone: 47 22 02 26 00
Fax: 47 22 23 74 89
E-mail: ra@riksarkivet.dep.telemax.no
Internet: www.riksarkivet.no

Regional Archives

In Norway there are eight 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 for the various counties [fylker] are listed below.

For Østfold, Akershus, and Oslo counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Oslo
Folke Benradottes vei 21
Postboks 4015 Ullevål stadion
N-0806 Oslo
Norway
Phone: 47 22 02 26 00
Fax: 47 22 23 74 89
http://www.riksarkivet.no/oslo/om.html

For Buskerud, Vestfold, and Telemark Counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Kongsberg
Frogsvei 44
N-3611 Kongsberg
Norway
Phone: 47 32 86 99 00
Fax: 47 32 86 99 10
http://www.riksarkivet.no/kongsberg/om.html

For Oppland and Hedemark counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Hamar
Lille Strandgate 3
N-2304 Hamar
Norway
Phone: 47 62 52 36 42
Fax: 47 62 52 94 48
http://www.riksarkivet.no/hamar/om.html

For Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Kristiansand
Märthas vei 1
Serviceboks 402, 4604 Kristiansand
N-4613 Kristiansand
Norway
Phone: 47 38 14 55 00
Fax: 47 38 14 55 01
http://www.riksarkivet.no/kristiansand/om.html

For Rogaland County, write to:
Statsarkivet i Stavanger
Bergjelandsgate.30
N-4012 Stavanger
Norway
Fax: 47 51 50 12 90
http://www.riksarkivet.no/stavanger/om.html

For Hordaland, Bergen, and Sogn og Fjordane counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Bergen
Arstadveien 22
N-5009 Bergen
Norway
Phone: 47 55 31 50 70
Fax: 47 55 32 12 65
http://www.arkivverket.no/bergen/om.html

For Møre og Romsdal, Sør-Trøndelag, Nord-Trøndelag, and Nordland counties, write to:
Statsarkivet i Trondheim
Høgskoleveien 12
Postboks 2825 Elgeseter
N-7432 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
N-9293 Tromsø
Norway
Phone: 47 77 67 66 11
Fax: 47 77 67 65 20
http://www.statsarkivet.no/tromso/om.html

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.