Norwegian Genealogical Word List

Norwegian Genealogical Word Lists

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Genealogical Word Lists

Norwegian Genealogical Word List

This Norwegian Word List contains Norwegian words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a Norwegian-English dictionary. (See "Additional Resources" below.)

Norwegian is a Germanic language like Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic. There are two official dialects in Norway. Prior to 1915 most Norwegian records are in a language closer to written Danish than to modern Norwegian. You may also want to refer to the Danish Genealogical Word List.

Records published after 1915, such as family and local histories, are in modern Norwegian. Most differences between modern and old Norwegian are simply a matter of spelling. Carefully study the section below on spelling. This will help you find the words in this list.

Some regions in Norway spoke/wrote in a dialect. For words that are in dialect, see the Dialect word list.

Language Characteristics

Variant Forms of Words

In Norwegian, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries— married are examples of words in English with variant forms. The endings of a word in a document may differ from those in this list. For example:

Mann	man
Kone	wife
Mannen	the man
Kona	the wife
Menn	men
Koner	wives
Mennene	the men
Konene	the wives

Currency Currency in Norway - more information Weights and Measurements Weight and Measurement in Old Norway - more information

Alphabetical Order

Written Norwegian has three letters not found in the English alphabet: Æ (æ), Ø (ø), and Å (å). In most record sources prior to 1915, Å (å) is written as Aa (aa) and filed at the beginning of the alphabet. Modern Norwegian dictionaries, indexes, the Locality section of the FamilySearch Catalog, and this word list use the following alphabetical order:
(See also, this link for an additional word list)

A

Norwegian	English
aabodsfri stand	good condition
aarlig	yearly
absolvere	to give absolution
adel	nobility
adelig	noble
adelsmann	nobleman
adoptert	adopted
adresse	address
aften	evening
alder	age
alderdomssvakhet	weakness of old age
aldri	never
alen	2 fot = 24 tommer = .63 meter
alle	all
alltid	always
almisse	charity
almisselem	indigent, poor
altergang	Communion
amt	county
amtmann	chief county administrator
andre	others, other, next
anetavle	pedigree chart
anfall	seizure, attack
anførte	entered, mentioned
ankomst	arrival
anmerkning	remark, notice, note
annen, annet	second, another
annen gang	second time
anno (Latin)	year
annonsere	publish, announce
antall	number, count
april	April
arbeider	laborer
arkiv	archive
arv	inheritance
arvelodd	share of inheritance
arving	heir
astma	asthma
at	that
atten	eighteen
attende	eighteenth
attest	certificate
august	August
auksjonsskjøte	A deed of conveyannce by the auction agent (sorenskriveren) to the new owner by official auction.
av	of, at, by, from
avdeling	part, division
avdød	deceased
avgangen	departed
avgift	duty (monetary), fee
avkom	offspring, issue
avtale	agreement

B

Norwegian	English
badstue	sauna
bakbygning	back building (additional residence behind the main building)
baker	baker
bakke	hill
bannlyse	excommunicate
baptist	Baptist
bar	carried
bar barnet	held child (at baptism font)
bare	only
barn	child
barna	children
barndom	childhood
barnebarn	grandchild
barnedåp	child baptism
barnefar	child’s father
barnløs	childless
barsel	birth
barselfeber	childbed fever
barselseng	birthing bed
be	pray, request
beboer	occupant, resident
bededag	prayer day
bedrive hor	commit adultery
befolkning	population, people
begge	both
begivenhet	event, occurrence
begravelse	funeral, burial
begravet	buried
behandle	handle, treat, manage
bemerkning	remark
ben	leg, bone
benefisert gods	Land which the official has income from
benekte	deny
benåde	pardon
beruset	drunk
besetning	livestock, crew
beskrivelse	description
beslektet	related
besofet	conceived outside of wedlock
bestefar	grandfather
besteforeldre	grandparents
bestemor	grandmother
besvangre	impregnate, get with child, make pregnant
betale	pay
betaling	payment
betler	beggar
bevilge	grant
bevis	proof
bibliotek	library
bind	volume (book)
biografi	biography
biskop	bishop
bispedømme	diocese
blandkorn	mixture of grains (usually barley and oats)
bli	become
blikkenslager	tinsmith
blind	blind
blod	blood
blodgang	dysentery
blodskam	incest
blodsott	abnormal loss of blood during illness
bo	to live at
bodde	lived
bok	book
bokhandler	bookseller
bokholder, bokfører	bookkeeper
bokstav	letter, character
bolig	residence, house
bonde	farmer
bondegods	land which the farmers owned
bondelensmannen	lowest level in the local administration
bondesag/bygdesag	a sawmill that from 1688-1818 could only be used for the local market
bopel	residence, domicile
borger	citizen
borgermester	mayor
borgerskap	citizenship
bot	fine, penalty
brann	fire
brendeved	firewood
brennevinsbrenner	distiller of spirits
brev	letter (correspondence)
bro	bridge
bror	brother
brordatter	brother’s daughter
brorsønn	brother’s son
brud	bride
brudgom	bridegroom
bruk, gårdsbruk	farm or a part of a farm which is usually inhabited by a family
bruksdeling	division of a farm into several parts (bruk)
brygger	brewer
bryllup	wedding
budeie	milkmaid
bubeite	grazing land for cattle in the forest
bumerke	a sign or figure used as signature or carved on the house and tools. The use of this dwindled as people learned to write
buskap	livestock, crew
by	town, city
byg	barley
bygd	small country community, village
bygdebok	rural chronicles
bygdesag/bondesag	a sawmill that from 1688-1818 could only be used for the local market
bygdeting	the lowest court in the country where from the 1600s the district judge (sorenskriver) presided. He was assisted by several magistrates (lagrettesmenn)
bygsel	rental of land. The tenant farmer or lease-holder paid rent to the right to lease the land
bygselrett	the authority to rent land to a tenant farmer. When the farm had several owners, the owner of the largest part had the authority for the entire farm
byll	abscess
byllepest	plague (bubonic)
byttestreng	boundary
bære	carry
bøkker	cooper, barrel maker
både	both, either
båret	carried
båt	boat, ship
båtbygger	shipbuilder
båtsmann	boatswain, bosun

C

Norwegian	English
cirka	approximately
communion	Communion
confirmerede	confirmed
copulerede	marriage

D

Norwegian	English
dag	day
dagen før	the previous day
dagsarbeider	day laborer
dal	valley
daler	see riksdaler, riksbankdaler, speciedaler and skylddaler
Danmark	Denmark
dannekvinde	gentlewoman
dannemand	gentleman
dansk	Danish
dato	date (noun)
datter	daughter
datterdatter	daughter’s daughter
dattersønn	daughter’s son
datum (Latin)	date
degn	deacon, in older usage the title of the parish clerk (klokker or kirkesanger)
dele	to divide, to share
dem	them, they
den	the, it, that
denne	this
der	there
deres	their
derfor	therefore
desember	December
det	it, that, the
difteri	diphtheria
din	your
disse	these
diverse	various
dokument	document
domkirke	cathedral
dommer	judge
dragon	dragoon, light cavalryman
dreng	boy
drengebarn	male child
drepe	kill
dronning	queen
druknet	drowned
dydig	virtuous
dø	to die
døbt(e)	christening
død	dead, death
døde	died, death
dødfødt	stillborn
dødsfall	death
døgn	24-hour period of time
døpt	baptized, christened
døtre	daughters
døv	deaf
døvstum	deaf and dumb
dåp	baptism
dåpsattest	certificate of baptism
dåpsdag	day of baptism

E

Norwegian	English
efter	after
efterkommer	descendant
efterlatte	surviving, survivors
efterlevende	surviving
eftermiddag	afternoon
efternavn	surname, last name
egen	own
egentlig	actual
egteviede	marriage
eie, eje	to own
eiendom	property, real estate
ekte	legitimate, to marry
ektefelle	spouse
ektemann	husband
ektepar	married couple
ekteskap	marriage
ekteskapelig	marital, conjugal
ekteviet	married
eldre	older
eldst	oldest, eldest
elev	student
eller	or, or else
elleve	eleven
ellevte	eleventh
elv	river, stream
embete	public office
embetsmann	public official
emigrant	emigrant
emigrere	emigrate
en, et	a, one
enebarn	only child
endestav	the corner marker of the boundary of a farm
engelsk	English; English mint sterling. 1 hud = 12 engelsk. Earlier there could be 18 or 20 engelsk in 1 hud. 1 engelsk equaled 1 calf skin
England	England
enhver	each
enke	widow
enkemann	widower
enkestand	widowed
ennu	yet, still
epilepsi	epilepsy
er	is, are
erhverv	livelihood
erkjenne	acknowledge
erter	peas
et	a, one
etasje	floor, story
etc. (Latin)	et cetera, and so on
etternavn	surname, last
evne	intelligence

F

Norwegian	English
fabrikk	factory
faddere	christening witnesses, godparents
fallesyke	epilepsy
falt fall	be killed in war
familie	family
familie historie	linage books
far	father
farfar	paternal grandfather
farger	dyer; tanner
farmor	paternal grandmother
farsot	pestilence, plague
fartøy	vessel, craft
fattig	poor
fattigvesen	welfare agency
favn	3 alen = 6 fot = 1.88 meters
februar	February
felles	common, joint
fem	five
femte	fifth
femten	fifteen
femtende	fifteenth
femti	fifty
femtiende	fiftieth
fengsel	prison
festebrev, bygselbrev	a document issued by the landowner, which regulated the contract between the owner and the renter of real estate
festeseddel	rental contract
festning	fortress
fetter	cousin (male)
Finnland	Finland
finsk	Finnish
fore	four
fisker	fisherman
fjell	mountain
fjerde	fourth
fjorten	fourteen
fjortende	fourteenth
flere	several, more
flittig	diligent
flomsag	a sawmill which could only be used in times of high water
flytte	move
fogd, fut	originally the bailiff's servant who administered for him. The most important task was to demand the taxes. The fogd acted also as the grand jury in punishment cases. In the 1600s the fogd was directly responsible to the royal rule in Copenhagen. At the same time his responsibilities were lessened.
foged, fogd	bailiff, sheriff
folio	page (double)
folk	people
folkemengde	population
folkeregister	citizen register, national register
folketelling	census
folkevandringstida	abt 400-600 A.D.
follaug	an agreement that the previous owners would be provided in exchange for the farm. It was most used when the parents were passing the farm to their children similar to a life estate
for, at	before, by
foran	in front of
forblødning	bled to death
foreldre	parents
foreldreløs	orphan
forening	society
forfedre	ancestors, forefathers
forgjengeren	predecessor
forhenværende	former, previous, preceding
forhus	house in front (usually the main house on a farm)
forkjølet	to have a cold
forklaring	explanation
forlate	leave, forgive
forlovelse	engagement
forlovere	marriage witnesses
formiddag	between morning and afternoon
formynder	guardian
fornavn	first name, given name
forpakter	manager of estate
forpligtet	obligated
forrige	former
forstand	intellect, mind
forstoppelse	constipation, obstruction
forsørges	supported
fortelle	tell, relate
fortid	past
forvalter	manager
foster	fetus
fosterbarn	foster child
fostre	foster, to rear
fot	½ alen = 12 tommer = 0.31 meter
fra	from
fraflytte	leave, move away
fraværende	absent
fredag	Friday
fremmed	foreign, foreigner
fremtid	future
fru	Mrs.
fruentimmer	unmarried mother, female person (derogatory)
fruktsommelig	pregnant
frøken	Miss
full	full, complete, drunk
fullgard	a farm which paid full tax. It is a taxation term from the middle ages and the 1600s
fullmektig	head clerk, agent
fylke	county
fyr	lighthouse
fæstebrev	to acquire land
føderåd	support received after giving one's estate to another; same as follaug
føderådskone	woman recieving support
føderådsmann	man receiving support
fødested	birthplace
fødsel	birth
fødselsattest	birth certificate
fødselsdag	birthday
født(e)	born (birth)
følgende	following, next
føllaug	retired
før	before
første	first
førstebygsel	rent paid at the time of renting a farm
førti	forty
førtiende	fortieth
får	sheep, receives

G

Norwegian	English
gammel	old
gartner	gardener
garver	tanner
gate	street
gave	gift, endowment
geistlig	ecclesiastical
geitskinn	goat skin / hide; a measure of debt equal to 3 engelsk
geografisk leksikon	gazetteer
gift	marriage, married, poison
gikt	rheumatism
giftingsgods	land which was obtained through marriage
gjeld	debt
gjenlevende	survivors
gjennom	through
gjerdene	fences
gjestgiver	innkeeper
gjet, gjeit	goat
gjeter	herdsman
gjørtler	brazier, brass smith
god	good
gods	estate
godseier	estate owner
gotisk skrift	Gothic script was the handwriting which was used in Norway from the 1200s to the last of the nineteenth century
gratis	free
grav	grave
graver	gravedigger, sexton
gravlund	cemetery
gravsted	burial place
gren	branch
grenader	infantryman
grense	boundary, border
greve	Count (nobility)
grevinne	Countess
grunn	ground, reason
gruve	mine, pit
gruvearbeider	miner
grønn	green
gudfar	godfather
gudmor	godmother
gull	gold
gulsot	jaundice
gulv	floor
gutt	boy
gå	go, walk
gård	farm; the entity which was designated with a name. From the 1800’s it was also designated with a farm number. One farm could be subdivided into several parcels called bruk.
gårdbruker	farmer
gårdeier	farm owner
gårsdagens	of yesterday

H

Norwegian	English
ha	to have
hadde	had
halshugget	decapitated
halv	half
halvbror	half brother
Halvgård	a farm which paid ½ of the full tax
halvsøster	half sister
ham	him
han	he
handelsmann	merchant, trader
hans	his
hanskemaker	glove maker
har	has, have
hattemaker	hatmaker
havn	harbor
havre	oats
heller	rather
helligdag	holiday
hengt seg	hanged himself or herself
henne	her
her	here
Herr	Mr.
herred	judicial district
Herren	the Lord
hest	horse
heter	is named
historie	history
hittebarn	orphan, foundling
hjem	home
hjemme	at home
hjemmedøpt	baptized at home
hjemmehørende	residing
hjerte	heart
hjertefeil	heart disease
hjul	wheel
hjulmaker	wheelwright
holde	hold, stop
horeri	adultery
hos	with, at
hoste	cough
hovedliste	census list
hud	hide; a measure of debt which was used until 1838, but sometimes longer. 1 hud = 4 geitskinn = 12 engelsk. Originally used for payment of land taxes.
hun	she
hundre(de)	hundred (hundredth)
hus	house
husar	hussar, cavalryman
husbonde	head of household
husene	houses
husholderske	housekeeper
husmann	cottager, tenant farmer, share crofter; a person who lived on land without a farm number. Could often use a parcel of land by paying the landowner.
husmannsplass	the designation of the parcel of land/cottage where the husmann lived
husmor	housewife
hustru	wife
hva	what
hvem	who
hver	every
hvete	wheat
hvilken	which
hvis	if, whose
hvit	white
hvor	where
hvordan	how
hvorfor	why
hvorvidt	whether
høsten	in the fall
høy	tall, high, hay
høyre	right (side)
håndarbeide	handwork
håndtering	occupation
håndverk	trade, handicraft

I

Norwegian	English
i	in
idiot	idiot
ifølge	according to
igår	yesterday
igjen	again
i hjel, slå	kill
ikke	not
ikke enda	not yet
ild	fire
imellom	between, among
imorgen	tomorrow
inderst	a person who rented a room from others and had his own household
infeksjon	infection
ingen	none
inn	in
inne i	inside
innerst	renter, innermost
innflyttning	moving in
innhold	content
innsitter	renter
innsjø	lake
innvandring	immigration
intet	none
introduceret	introduced
Island	Iceland
islandsk	Icelandic

J

Norwegian	English
januar	January
jeg	I (personal pronoun)
jeger	light infantry soldier, hunter
jomfru	damsel, Miss, virgin
jordbruk	farming
jordegods	landed property
jordet	burial; the ground
jordferd	burial, funeral
jordfeste	burial, interment
jordfæstede	sealing the grave; when a person was buried without a priest, the practice by which the priest would later consecrate the grave
jordfesting	burial, interment
jordmor	midwife
jordpåkastelse	ceremony of sprinkling earth on the coffin
jordvei, vei	road
jul	Christmas
juli	July
juni	June
jurist	lawyer

K

Norwegian	English
kakkelovn	from the 1700s a somewhat misused term for an iron stove. A closed fireplace clad with glazed ceramic tiles used for heating buildings.
kalemank	wool, often used to make vests and trousers
kallet	named
kanskje	maybe, perhaps
karet	coach
kart	map
katolsk	Catholic
kavaleri	cavalry
kemmer	peddler
kikhoste	whooping cough
kirke	church
kirkebok	parish register
kirkegods	land which was reserved for the clergy or which was owned by local or central religious institutions
kirkegård	cemetery, churchyard
kirkeverger	a couple of farmers in each parish which should control or supervise the local church estate
kirkeværge	church warden
kiste	chest, coffin
kjent	known
kjønn	sex
kjøpe	buy
kjøpmann	merchant
kledning	usual description of a man's clothing consisting of trousers, undershirt, and tunic
klokker	sexton, parish clerk, bell ringer, deacon
kloster	convent, monastery
kokarde	insignia
kolikk	colic
kommune	municipality, township
kone	wife
konfirmasjon	confirmation
konge	king
kongedømme	kingdom
kongelig	royal
kontor	office
kopper	smallpox, copper
koppskatt	person tax
kort	short, card
kort register	card index
krampe	convulsions, spasm
kreft	cancer
krig	war
krongods	land which belonged to the crown or state
ku	cow
kun	only
kunngjøre	declare
kunnskap	knowledge
kusine	cousin (female)
kusk	coachman, teamster
kveg	cattle
kvele	choke
kvell	evening
kvern	a machine which would mill grain often called a bekkekvern (brook mill). A water wheel was used to turn the mill. If the brook was suitable 3 or 4 mills could be built. There were also smaller hand mills
kvindemenneske	female
kvinne	woman
kvinnekjønn	female
kyllinger	chickens
kår	support received after giving one’s estate to another
kårkone	woman who receives kår
kårmann	man who receives

L

Norwegian	English
la	let, allow
lagmann	judge at the high court which was an appeals court over the local court
lagrettemann	farmer who after taking an oath could function as judges or witnesses
land	country
landsby	village
langfredag	Good Friday
landskyld	yearly rent which the renter paid to the land owner
laugverge	widow’s guardian or spokesman
ledstø	a stone boundary marker between two outer markers
legd	A group of farms which together were responsible for a portion of the community obligations such as taxes, providing soldiers, or taking care of the poor.
legdslem	welfare recipient
leidang	a sea military defense ordinance in Viking times. Later it was made an annual tax
leie	hire, rent
leier	tenant
leilending	leaseholder; the person who rented land from the land owner
lejermål, leiermål	unlawful and punishable sexual union outside of marriage
lenge	long
lensmann/lensherre	sheriff; nobleman who had received a district from the king
lensmannen	lowest level official in the local administration
lese	read
leve	live
levende	live, living
lignende	same, alike, similar
lik	corpse, alike
likeledes	also, as well
lille	small
lite (litt)	little
liten	little, small
liv	life
los	pilot (ship)
losjerende	boarder, lodger
lov	law
lovlig	legal
lungebetendelse	pneumonia
luteraner	Lutheran
lysning	post banns
lysninger	banns
læregutt	apprentice
lærer	teacher (male)
lærerinne	teacher (female)
lærling	apprentice
løpenummer	serial number; the number given to a parcel of a farm. See more under Matrikkel.
lørdag	Saturday
løsaktig	loose or immoral woman
løsarbeider	day laborer
låve	barn

M

Norwegian	English
magesyke	diarrhea, stomach ailment
mai	May
makeskifte	record of grown men. The oldest is from the 1660’s. Can also be used as a record of those who owe taxes.
maler	painter
mandag	Monday
mange	many
mann	man, husband
mannkjønn	male
mark	field; as a coin = 1 ort whose weight is about 250 grams
markegang	boundary line
mars	March
matrikkel	land registration; official register of real estate used as the foundation for taxation. In the first part of the 1600’s the farms were divided into full farms, half farms, and uninhabited farms and taxed accordingly. In the 1600’s the matrikkel commissions attempted to register all the property in Norway and to justify the tax burden for them. This resulted in the matrikkelen of 1688. Then they used the old terms of hud, geitskinn, og engelsk. This was the official matrikkelen until 1838 although there was a new matrikkel in 1723 which was never used. In 1818 work was started on a new matrikkelen which was put into effect in 1838. Each farm received a new number and each parcel (bruk) received a sub-number (løpenummer). These sub-numbers were a continuous number series for the entire registration as the farms were divided in 1820. With further divisions the numbers were followed by a letter of the alphabet, for example, 279a, 279b, etc. It was a difficult process because so many farms were continuously subdivided or the two parcels were once again united. In 1838 the debt was categorized as skylddaler = 5 ort = 120 schillings. In the 1860’s work was begun on a new matrikkel. Each farm received, once again, a new number and limitless bruksnummer beginning with 1. At the same time the debt values were used as 1 skyldmark = 100 øre. A revised version of this matrikkelen was instituted in 1906. Printed copies of the matrikkelen of 1838, 1889 and 1906 are available. They show the farm and the bruk name, owner, or tenant and the tax value.
matrikkelnummer	the number assigned to identify property for taxation purposes.
matros	sailor
med	with
medhjelper	assistant, helper
medlem	member
med videre (Latin)	et cetera, and so on
meg	me
mellom	middle
mellombygning	middle building
men	but
mer	more, additional
meslinger	measles
messingsmed	brazier, brass smith
mester	master (of a trade)
midlertidig	temporarily
midnatt	midnight
mil	metric mile (ten kilometers)
militær	military
min	mine (belongs to me)
mindre	lesser
minearbeider	miner
minste	smallest, youngest
minutt	minute
modig	courageous, brave
mor	mother
mord	murder
morfar	maternal grandfather
morgen	morning
mormor	maternal grandmother
motta	receive
murer	mason
musiker	musician
m.v. (Latin)	See med videre
myndig	of age
møbelsnekker	furniture maker
møller	miller

N

Norwegian	English
nabo	neighbor
nadverd	Communion, sacrament
natt	night
navn	name
nedbrent	burned down
nei	no
neste	next, neighbor
neste år	next year
nevø	nephew
ni	nine
niende	ninth
niese	niece
nitten	nineteen
nittende	nineteenth
nitti	ninety
nittiende	ninetieth
noen	some, any
nord	north
november	November
nu, nå	now
nulevende	living
null	zero
nummer	number
ny	new
nyfødt	newborn
nylig	lately
nyttår	new year
nær	near, close
næringsvei	livelihood, trade
nå, nu	now
når	when, if, reach

O

Norwegian	English
odel	birthright or allodial ownership
odelsgods	property which someone has right to by inheritance. It is also used on all privately owned property except privileged noble estates
odelsskatt	tax on private property paid by a certain part of the property tax based on the amount of land which they didn’t used themselves. This term is a bit misleading because this tax was not only paid on private property, but also on purchased and mortgaged property.
ofte	often
og	and
oktober	October
oldebarn	great-grandchild
oldefar	great-grandfather
oldeforeldre	great-grandparents
oldemor	great-grandmother
om	if, about
omegn	neighboring places
omtrent	about, almost, nearly
omvendelse	conversion
onkel	uncle
onsdag	Wednesday
opgave (ved uægte børn af hvem Opgaven er skeet)	task (specifically, for illegitimate children, who reported their status)
opp	up
oppe	above, upstairs
oppfostre	foster, to rear
oppgivelsesskifte	probate held before the property was turned over to heirs when receiving a life estate. Also for the one which probated is deceased.
opptegnelse	record
ordbok	dictionary
ordfører	mayor
ort	as money 1 ort = 24 skilling. Also used as a measure of debt.
oss	us
osv.	et cetera, and so on
over	over
overhoffretten	the highest court in Norway from 1666-1797
overlevende	survivors
overtredelse	transgression

P

Norwegian	English
pagina (Latin)	page
pallask	sword
pantebok	mortgage record
pantegods	property which is mortgaged. From the beginning of the 1700’s the mortgage holder had the right to all the properties income. He must also pay taxes on this income. In the 1700’s the mortgage holder collected yearly interest while the mortgagee kept the right of disposition of the property
parsell	plot of land, allotment
parykkmaker	wigmaker
penger	money
pensjon	pension
pensjonist	retired person
person	person
pest	plague
pike (pige)	girl, maid
pikebarn	female child
pikenavn	maiden name, girl’s name
pinse	Pentecost
pladsen	the cottage - houses, place the cottager occupied
plass	see Husmannsplass
pleiebarn	foster child
pleiedatter	foster daughter
pleiefar	foster father
pleieforeldre	foster parents
pleiemor	foster mother
pleiesønn	foster son
poteter	potatoes
pottemaker	potter
preke	preach
prest	minister, priest
prestegjeld	clerical district
prestegods	the property which supported the priest and which he had income from as part of his salary
prestekontor	parish office
prestemanntall	count or census of the priests
prins	prince
prinsesse	princess
på	on, at, upon
påske	Easter

R

Norwegian	English
register	index, register
regjering	government
regning	bill
regnskap	account
reise	travel
religion	religion
repslager	rope maker
rett	court (noun), correct
rettferdig	just, righteous
ridder	knight
rik	wealthy
riksbankdaler	main currency in Norway 1813-1816. 1 riksbankdaler = 6 mark = 96 riksbankskilling. At that time a very large amount of riksbankdaler were issued such that the value of them quickly decreased
riksdaler	main currency in Norway 1544-1813. From 1625 1 rikdaler = 4 ort = 96 skilling
riktig	correct
rug	rye
rulle	a record of soldiers
rundt	around
ryg	rye
rytter	cavalryman
rådmann	councilman

S

Norwegian	English
sa	said, stated
sabbat	Sabbath
sagskjærer	sawmill worker who cut with a handsaw
sakefall	term for both fines and property confiscation of a condemned person which was paid to the authorities in the 1600’s
sakrament	sacrament
salig	deceased, holy, blessed
salmaker	saddler
samfunn	society
samleie	intercourse
samme	same
samme dag	the same day
sammen	together
sammesteds	in the same place
samtlige	all
samtykke	consent
sau	sheep
seg	oneself
seks	six
seksten	sixteen
sekstende	sixteenth
seksti	sixty
sekstiende	sixtieth
selv	self
selveier	owner, freeholder; farmer which owned his own land in contrast to one who rented land
selvmord	suicide
senere	later
seng	bed
sengeliggende	bedridden
separeret	separated
september	September
side	page, side
sidehus	side house
siden	since, later
sin, sitt, sine	his, hers, its
sinnsvak	insane, retarded
sinnsyk	mentally ill
siste	last, latter
siste olje	last rites
sjette	sixth
sju (syv)	seven
sjuende (syvende)	seventh
sjø	sea, lake
sjømann	sailor, seaman
skaberak	elaborate horse blanket
skaffe	produce
skal	shall, must
skarlagensfeber	scarlet fever
skatt	tax
skibsfører	ship’s captain
skifte	probate
skifteprotokoll	probate record book
skifteretten	probate court
skilling	currency like 1/96 of a daler until 1816, later 1/120 speciedaler
skilsmisse	divorce
skilt	divorced
skiløper	infantry soldier on skis, skier
skinn	calf skin. In about 1200 each farm paid the tax of one calf skin. In 1661 this tax was combined with Biskops- and Olavstax and then was revised to be assessed by the size of the farm so that the tax value varied between 1 and 3 skins per farm
skipreide	administrative unit originally tied to leidangsvesenet. In the middle ages it was revised to be a district which paid rent to the crown. Later used as designation of jurisdiction, see tinglag
skjedde	happened
skjøte	deed (property)
skog	forest
skole	school
skomaker	shoemaker
skoskatt	personal tax in 1711 of all who had shoes
skredder	tailor
skriver	scribe
skulle	should
skyld/landskyld	yearly rent the lessee should pay to the landowner. In older times it was at the same time a set measurement for the property at purchase, sale, or probate. From the 1600’s the tax was aligned with the debt. All independent farms were taxed, whether it was rented or self-owned
skylddaler	1 skylddaler = 5 ort = 120 skilling
skylddeling	division of the debt when a farm was subdivided
skyssplikt	the farmers had the obligation to take care of the horse and horseman for travelers
skysskaffer	person who had the assignment to obtain a horse and horseman for travelers
slag	strike, blow, stroke
slakter	butcher
slekt	relatives, family, lineage
slektninger	relatives
slektsforskning	genealogy
slektshistorie	family history, lineage books
slektsvåpen	coat of arms
slå ihjel	kill
smed	smith
snart	soon
snekker	cabinetmaker, carpenter
sogn	parish
soldat	soldier
sorenskriver	magistrate, probate judge; the office of sorenskriver was created by royal proclamation 31 July 1591. The sorenskriver was to be the secretary of the local court. But by the early 1600’s he had progressed to be the judge at the local court and after a time he became the sole judge. He also had obligations as a probate manager, auction manager, court attendant, notary public, etc.
sort	black
spebarn	infant, baby
spillemann	musician, fiddler
speciedaler (spd)	main currency in Norway 1816-1875. 1 speciedaler = 5 ort = 120 skilling. With the switch to the crown (krone) in 1875 a speciedaler was to equal 4 crowns
stabbur	storehouse on pillars
stamtavle	descendancy chart
stand	social position
stebarn	stepchild
stebror	stepbrother
sted	place
stedatter	stepdaughter
stefar	stepfather
steinhogger	stonecutter
stemor	stepmother
stervbo	the deceased’s dwelling (from the german “sterben”)
stesønn	stepson
stilling	status, position, office
stor	large
straff	punishment
straks	right away, immediately
strandsitter	husmann who lived on the seacoast
stum	mute (can’t speak)
summa (Latin)	totals
summarisk	statistical, summary
svak	weak
svakhet	weakness
svart	black
svenn	journeyman
svensk	Swedish
Sverige	Sweden
svigerdatter	daughter-in-law
svigerfar	father-in-law
svigerinne	sister-in-law
svigermor	mother-in-law
svigersønn	son-in-law
svoger	brother-in-law
svulst	tumor
syd	south
sydlig	southern
syerske	seamstress
syk	sick
sykdom	disease
sypike	seamstress
sytten	seventeen
syttende	seventeenth
sytti	seventy
syttiende	seventieth
syv (sju)	seven
syvende (sjuende)	seventh
sølv	silver
søndag	Sunday
sønn	son
sønnedatter	son’s daughter
sønnesøn	son’s son
sør	south
søsken	siblings
søster	sister
søstersønn	sister’s son
så	saw (see), so, if so, sow (seed)
sådan	such
således	thus, in this or that

T

Norwegian	English
tak	roof
takk	thank you
takksigelse	thanksgiving
tall	number, count
tambur	drummer (soldier)
tante	aunt
testamente	last will
ti	ten
tid	time
tidlig	early
tidsperiode	period of time
tidsskrift	periodical
tiende	tenth, tithing; originally a payment to the church of 1/10 of increase. In the 1600’s it was paid annually
tigger	beggar
til	to, until, for
tillatelse	dispensation, permission
time	hour
tinglag	area of court jurisdiction for a local court
tippoldefar	great-great-grandfather
tippoldemor	great-great-grandmother
tirsdag	Tuesday
tittel	title
tjene	serve, work
tjeneste	service
tjenestedreng	servant, employee, male
tjenestepige	servant, employee, female
tjue (tyve)	twenty
tjueannen	twenty-second
tjueen	twenty-one
tjuefem	twenty-five
tjuefire	twenty-four
tjuefjerde	twenty-fourth
tjueførste	twenty-first
tjuende (tyvende)	twentieth
tjueni(ende)	twenty-nine (twenty-ninth)
tjueseks	twenty-six
tjuesjette	twenty-sixth
tjuesju(ende)	twenty-seven(th)
tjuetemte	twenty-fifth
tjueto	twenty-two
tjuetre(dje)	twenty-three (twenty-third)
tjueåtte(nde)	twenty-eight (twenty-eighth)
to	two
tohundre	two hundred
tollbetjent	customs officer
tolv	twelve
tolvte	twelfth
torsdag	Thursday
tre	three
tredevte (trettiende)	thirtieth
tredje	third
tredjeårstake	lease payment which was due every three years
tredve (tretti)	thirty
tretten(de)	thirteen (thirteenth)
trettien(de)	thirty-one (thirty-first)
trettiførste	thirty-first
trolovelse	engagement
trolovet	engaged
trosbekjennelse	creed
trossamfunn	religion
tuberkulose	consumption, tuberculosis
tukthus	prison
tusen(de)	thousand(th)
tvangsarbeide	hard labor, compulsory labor
tvilling	twin
tyfus	typhoid fever
tysk	German
Tyskland	Germany
tyv	thief
tyve (tjue)	twenty
tyvende (tjvende)	twentieth
tæring	tuberculosis
tømmermann	carpenter, framer, ship’s carpenter
tønne	barrel

U

Norwegian	English
udøpt	unbaptized
uekte	illegitimate
ugift	unmarried
uke	week
ukjent	unknown, foreign
ulovlig	illegal
ulykke	accident
umoralsk	immoral
umyndig	under legal age
under	under, below
underholde	support
underskrevne	the undersigned
underskrift	signature
undertegnet	signed
ung	young
ungkarl	bachelor
unntatt	except
uskyldig	innocent
ussel	miserable, poor
usømmelig	indecent
utdrag	extract
uten	without
utenfor	outside of
utfattog	destitute, penniless
utflyttning	moving out
utføre	perform, do
utgi	publish
uti	at, in
utlagt	named as, alleged
utlandet	foreign country
utskiftning	dissolution and redistribution of the several parcels of land making up the farm to make it more evenly distributed
utskyld	yearly payment to the crown in the southwest of Norway. Probably it was originally a duty of the farms along a road to support the king before the unification of Norway
utukt	lechery, fornication
utvandre	emigrate
utvandrer	emigrant
utvandring	emigration

V

Norwegian	English
vaccinerede	vaccination
vaksinert	vaccination, vaccinated
vanfør	crippled, disabled
vanskapt	deformed, handicapped
var	was, were
vattersot	dropsy (edema)
ved	at, by
vedkommende	person concerned
ved siden av	next to
ved uægte børn af hvem Opgaven er skeet	for illegitimate children, who reported their status
velstand	prosperity
venn	friend
venstre	left (side)
verge	guardian
verneplikt	military duty
vertshus	inn
vest	west
vever	weaver
vielse	marriage, wedding
vielsesattest	marriage certificate
viet	married
vikingtida	about 800-1000 years A.D.
vitne	witness
vitnesbyrd	testimony
vogn	carriage, wagon, vehicle
vognmann	coachman
voldta	rape
værdig	worthy
være	be
vår	our
våren	in the spring

Y

Norwegian	English
yngre	younger
yngst	youngest
yrke	profession

Æ

Norwegian	English
ærbødig	respectful
ære	honor
ærlig	honest
ættegransking	genealogy

Ø

Norwegian	English
øde	desolate, waste
ødegård	from the late 1500’s this was also a classification of a farm for tax purposes and was used for all farms in the lowest classification. 1 ødegård = a quarter farm
ødelegge	destroy
ødemark	wasteland, wilderness
ønske	wish, desire, want
øre	ear; after 1889 taxes owed, 100 øre = 1 skyldmark
øst	east
øvre	upper
øy	island
øye, øie	eye

Å

Norwegian	English
åmage	it was usual when one wanted to preserve the inheritance in property but did not have the economic ability to pay by a certain time that they announced their rights to the land in the court to retain their inheritance
ånd	spirit
åndsvak	mentally deficient
år	year
årgangssag	sawmill which had a large enough water supply to operate throughout the year
århundre	century
årlig	annual, yearly
årsak	cause, reason
åsetesrett	the right to take over an undivided landed property
åsted	where event took place (place of event)
åtte	eight
åttende	eighth
åtti	eighty
åttiede	eightieth

Additional Resources

This word list includes only words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a Norwegian-English dictionary. Several Norwegian-English dictionaries are available at the Family History Library. These are in the Scandinavian collection. Their call numbers begin with 439.82321. Family History Centers can obtain the following dictionaries on microfilm:

Scavenius, H. Glydendals Ordbøker; Norsk-Engelsk [Gyldendal’s Dictionaries; Norwegian-English]. Oslo, Norway: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1945. (FHL film 1,224,705, item 4).

cavenius, H. Glydendals Ordbøker; Engelsk-Norsk [Glydendal’s Dictionaries; English-Norwegian]. Oslo, Norway: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1945. (FHL film 1,224,705, item 3).

Additional dictionaries are listed in the Subject section of the FamilySearch Catalog under NORWEGIAN LANGUAGE - DICTIONARIES and in the Locality section under NORWAY - LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES.

Key Words

In order to find and use specific types of Norwegian records, you will need to know some key words in Norwegian. This section lists key genealogical terms in English and the Norwegian words with the same or similar meanings.

For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find Norwegian words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined, and other words used in Norwegian records to indicate marriage.

English	Norwegian
banns	lysninger
birth	fødte, født
burial	begravelse, jordet
census	folketelling
child	barn
christening	døbte, døbt
clerical district	prestegjeld
confirmation	konfirmasjon, konfirmerede
death	døde, død
engagement	forlovelse, trolovelse
father	far
female	kvinnekjønn
husband	ektemann
index	register
male	mannkjønn
marriage	copulerede, egteviede, gift, vielse
military	militær
mother	mor
moving in	innflyttning
moving out	utflyttning
name, given	fornavn
name, surname	etternavn
parents	foreldre
parish	sogn
probate	skifte
vaccination	vaccinerede, vaksinert
wife	hustru
year	år

Family History Library