Danish Military Levying Rolls (Lægdsruller)

Denmark Military Levying Rolls

Danish Lægdsruller.png

Lægdsruller are records of the males who could be enlisted for service in the army or navy. These rolls have many different uses. For genealogical purposes they are used mainly to follow the registered individual's movements, identify a birthplace, find which military unit they were assigned to, and when they completed their obligation.

You Can Use this Record to Find...
Birth Information Marriage Information Death Information

Background

In 1788, adscription was repealed and the foundation was laid for a civilian service. This was done by regulation on June 20, 1788. Previously the private landowners had the obligation to provide personnel for the army. After adscription's repeal this responsibility was shifted to the king and the state. There was thus created a direct relationship between the state and the conscripts.

In subsequent years there was an agency created by the government known as a lægdsvæsen to watch over its conscripts. It was important for the government to know how large a force it possessed in case of war. Therefore, it became the state's responsibility to keep detailed records of the male population in lægdsruller.

Articles

Strategy

How to find someone in the levying rolls

1. Find the Lægt number of your ancestor's parish. Go to the Family Search wiki listing for your parish. On the parish's main page, you will see a blue box, and in that box will be the Lægt number of that parish.

2. Go to the Danish National Archives website at www.Arkivalieronline.dk. On the main page, click on Find lægdsruller her.

3. Click on the year span you wish to search.

For 1789-1864, click on Lægdsruller (landruller) 1789-1864. Click on Læs scannet udgave af arkivserien her. On the left will be a long list of rolls which is alphabetized by county name. Scroll down to your county, then click on the year you wish to search. ("Hovedrulle" is the mail roll listing every eligible male, and Tilgangsrulle is the supplementary roll which lists only those who moved onto or off the rolls since the last main roll was taken). "Omskrevet" means "Rewritten". Find your lægt number, which is listed along with the parish name in chronological order. In the Hovedrulle there are usually several pages for each lægt or parish. Search all the names in that lægt for your ancestor.
For 1864 1931- These rolls are orgainzed by Kreds (district), not by county. There were seven Kreds for Denmark. You need know the Kreds in which your county was located. On the right side of the screen, click on Kom godt i gang med at bruge lægdsruller to see county map and determine your Kreds number. Go back to the previous page and click on the Kreds number (1-7). For Kreds 1 and 2, click on Læs scannet udgave af arkivserien her. Scroll down and find the year you wish to search. There will be several listings for each year, each is followed by a number, which is the beginning Lægt number in that group ("Hovedrulle" is the mail roll listing every eligible male, and Tilgangsrulle is the supplementary roll which lists only those who moved onto or off the rolls since the last main roll was taken). "Omskrevet" means "Rewritten". Find your lægt number, which is listed along with the parish name in chronological order. In the Hovedrulle there are usually several pages for each lægt or parish. Search all the names in that lægt for your ancestor.

4. If your ancestor is found and you wish to follow him through to other years, follow

How to follow someone in the same county.

How to follow someone to a different county.