Ittoqqortoormiit Parish, Greenland Genealogy

Background

 * Ittoqqortoormiit (East Greenlandic) or Illoqqortoormiut (West Greenlandic), formerly known as Scoresbysund, is a settlement in the Sermersooq municipality in eastern Greenland.
 * Its population was 345 as of 2020 and has been described as one of the most remote settlements on earth.
 * The former name Scoresbysund derives from the Arctic explorer and whaler William Scoresby, who was the first European to map the area in 1822.
 * Ittoqqortoormiit was founded in 1925 by Ejnar Mikkelsen and some 80 Inuit settlers (70 persons from Tasiilaq and four families from western Greenland).
 * The settlement was encouraged by the colonial power Denmark which at the time had a growing interest in Northeast Greenland. At the same time, the colonization was intended to improve declining living conditions in Tasiilaq, from where the settlers were more or less voluntarily transferred. *The settlers soon prospered on the good hunting conditions of the new area, which was rich in seals, walruses, narwhals, polar bears and Arctic foxes.
 * Ittoqqortoormiit Municipality was a former municipality of Greenland. It is now part of Sermersooq Municipality.

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

Census Records

 * 1834-1870 Greenland, Denmark, Censuses, 1834-1870 (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.