Qaanaaq Parish, Greenland Genealogy

Background

 * Qaanaaq, formerly known as Thule or New Thule, is the main town in the northern part of the Avannaata municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is one of the northernmost towns in the world.
 * The town has a population of 646 as of 2020.
 * In 1818, Sir John Ross's expedition made first contact with nomadic Inuktun (Polar Eskimos) in the area. James Saunders's expedition aboard HMS North Star was marooned in North Star Bay 1849–50 and named landmarks.
 * Robert Peary built a support station by a protected harbor at the foot of iconic Mount Dundas in 1892. It served as a base camp for his expeditions and attracted a permanent population.
 * In 1910 explorers Knud Rasmussen and Peter Freuchen established a missionary and trading post there. They called the site "Thule" after classical ultima Thule; the Inuit called it Umanaq, and the site is commonly called "Dundas" today.
 * The United States abandoned its territorial claims in the area in 1917 in connection with the purchase of the Virgin Islands. Denmark assumed control of the village in 1937.
 * The town of Qaanaaq was established in the winter of 1953 when the United States expanded Thule Air Base and forcibly relocated the population of Pituffik and Dundas 31 km (19 mi) to the north within four days. The settlement was subsequently moved another 100 km (62 mi) to the north.

Place Names
Farm names or small village names within this parish include these place names and variations:

Census Records

 * 1834-1870 Greenland, Denmark, Censuses, 1834-18701 (in Danish) at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1834-1921 Greenland Censuses, 1834-1921 (in Danish) - incomplete indexes
 * Dansk Demografisk Database - incomplete indexes

Church Records

 * - at Greenland National Archives Kirkebóger, images only, complete.
 * 1752-1861 - Greenland Kirkebøger, 1752-1861 at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images.Includes born and baptized, confirmed, married, dead and buried and communions for most parishes. Christianshåb 1776-1850 vol. 2; Claushavn 1774-1846 vol. 2; Egedesminde 1769-1841 vol. 1; Fiskernæsset 1834-1850 vol. 2; Frederikshåb 1742-1849 vol. 2; Godhavn 1782-1833 vol. 1 (see also Egedesminde); Godthåb 1777-1850 vol. 2; Holsteinsborg 1771-1848 vol. 2; Jakobshavn 1840-1849 vol. 2; Julianehåb 1778-1861 vols. 1-2; Sukkertoppen 1752-1825 vol. 2; Umanak 1819-1849 vol. 2; Upernavik 1779-1850 vols. 1-2 (see also Godhavn). Census of baptized Greenlanders from Egedesminde, Godhavn and Upernavik parishes 1826-1828 vol. 3
 * Church books in Greenland - at Danish Family Search, index and images, incomplete.

Reading the Records
Because the Faroe Islands were under the jurisdiction of Denmark, many research resources relating to Denmark will be helpful in using Faroe Islands records.
 * Help Reading Danish Records:


 * Denmark Parish Register Headings provides translated examples of parish headings. You will be able to interpret much of what is in the records using these headings. Danish Word List covers typical  terms found in the records. Fixed and Moveable Feast Days for: Denmark will help you translate dates written in feast day form. Denmark surnames are patronymic and change every generation, so carefully study Denmark Names, Personal.


 * Help Reading Old Handwriting: 


 * Scandinavian Handwriting
 * Scandinavian Handwriting, part 3 - No part 2 available
 * Gothic Script and examples (Danish)
 * Gothic script help links (Danish)


 * Knowing What to Look for Next:


 * To understand the best research strategies for these records, see Denmark Church Records Christenings Guide.