Gjerstad Parish, Aust-Agder, Norway Genealogy

Norway &gt; Aust-Agder County &gt; Gjerstad

Church Records
Microfilm at the for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district). Contains priest and sexton records for the parishes Gjerstad and Vegårshei. Included Sønneløv (Søndeled) and Risør parishes until 1745. Vegårshei was annexed to Holt clerical district in 1812 but in 1828 was returned to Gjerstad clerical district. Parish registers for the years 1695-1924.

Digitized parish registers available online at Digitalarkivet [Digital Archives]

Gjerstad: 1695-1893, 1903-1914

Gjerstad/Gjerstad: 1816-1925

Gjerstad/Vegårshei: 1783, 1879-1910

Census Records

 * 1664-1666: Sogneprestenes manntall 1664-1666.  The census records for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes of Vestre Moland, Risør, Søndeled, Austre Moland, and Gjerstad.  This census was taken by the local parish priests. It lists the name of the farms, names of farm owners (including widows), the sons of the farm owners, male farm hands, cottagers and their sons, and the ages of each person. There was another census taken by the civil authorities at this same time. Both censuses should be searched as they supplement each other. This clerical census is more complete.


 * 1664-1666: Fogdernes og sorenskrivernes manntall 1664-1666.  The census records for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes of Søndeled, Gjerstad, Vegårshei, and Risør.  This census was taken by the local civil authorities. It lists the names of the farms, farmowners (including widows), sons of farm owners, male farm hands, cottagers and sons of cottagers and the age of each person. The clerical authorities took a census during this same time period. Both censuses should be used as they supplement each other. The clerical census is more complete.


 * 1701: Manntall 1701 optatt av fogderi, sorenskrivere og sogneprester ifølge kongebrev av 26 Juli 1701.  The census records for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes of Gjerstad, Søndeled, and Risør.  The census of 1701 was taken for military purposes. It lists only the males living in rural districts who were over the age of one year. It includes the farm name, name and age of the owner, names and ages of sons and servants. Also includes the residence of all unmarried males living away from home when the census was taken.


 * 1801: Folketelling 1 Feb 1801, Norge.  The 1801 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library. The 1801 census (b. 32) for Gjerstad clerical district includes Gjerstad and Vegårshei parishes. It lists the farm name, person's name, position in the household, age, marital status, and occupation.  A typewritten edition with indexes is available on microfiche. It is called "Mikrokortutgåva av 1801-teljina".  It is also available in a searchable database online at Digitalarkivet (Digital Archives).


 * 1835: Folketelling 1835 Gjerstad prestegjeld (Aust-Agder).  The 1835 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library.  The 1835 census of Gjerstad clerical district in Aust-Agder county which includes these parishes: Gjerstad and Vegårshei. It lists the farm name, persons name, age, position in the family and occupation. It also lists statistics.


 * 1845: Folketelling 1845 Gjerstad prestegjeld (Aust-Agder).  The 1845 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library.  The 1845 census of Gjerstad clerical district in Aust-Agder include these parishes: Gjerstad and Vegårshei. It lists the farm name, the persons name, age, position in the family, and occupation. It also lists statistical information.


 * 1855:  Folketelling 1855 for Gjerstad prestegjeld (Aust-Agder).  The 1855 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library.  The 1855 census for Gjerstad clerical district in Aust-Agder county include the parishes, Gjerstad and Vegårshei. It gives the name of the farm, the name of each person, age, position in the family, and occupation. It also lists statistical information.


 * 1865:  Folketælling 31 December 1865. The 1865 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes Gjerstad and Vegårshei.  This census include the name of the farm, the persons name, residence, status in the family, occupation, sex, marital status, place of birth, age, religion if not a member of the state church, and other miscellaneous information. Each book usually contain one clerical district (prestegjeld). In some books there are two clerical districts listed. The parishes and school districts in each clerical district are listed at the beginning of each book.  Also available in a searchable database online at Digitalarkviet (Digital Archives).


 * 1875: Folketælling for kongeriget Norge den 31te December 1875.  The 1875 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes of Gjerstad, and Vegårshei.  This 1875 census contains the name of the farm, the persons name, residence, position in the family, occupation, sex, marital status, year of birth, place of birth, religion if not a member of the state church, and other miscellaneous information.


 * 1900: Folketellingen for Norge den 3dje desember 1900.  The 1900 census for Gjerstad prestegjeld (clerical district) is available on microfilm at the Family History Library, and include the parishes of Gjerstad and Vegårshei.  This census contains the name of the farm, persons name, sex, whether resident or temporary resident, those absent from the parish and their location at the time of the census, position in the family, marital status, occupation, when born, where born, citizenship, religion, and other miscellaneous information.  Also available in a searchable database online at Digitalarkivet (Digital Archives).


 * 1910: Folketellingen for Norge den 1te desember 1910.  The 1910 census for Gjerstad is available online at Digitalarkivet (Digital Archives), as well as at the Norwegian Historical Data Centerat the Univesity of Tromsø in Norway.

Farm Books
The farm books for Gjerstad consist of a series of 9 pamphlets, authored by different writers, but titled Gjerstad Bygdesoga. The farm names found in each are listed below.

Farm Names
The farm number and name of the farms listed in Oluf Rygh Farm Names Index in about 1900 were as follows:

22 Aamlivolden 23 Aasbø 43 Aasland 36 Apeland 35 Ausland 5 Barbulien 16 Braaten nordre 32 Brenndalsmoen 3 Brokeland 7 Byholt 7 Dobbemyren 10 Egdesand 2 Eikeland 34 Eskeland nedre 2 Espeviken 6 Fone 31 Fosbrekke 43 Færgestedet 5 Gryting 1 Haugen ytre 21 Haugen øvre 26 Heiland 43 Holte 2 Hovet 8 Huggeto lille 14 Kullevedhugsten 37 Kveim med Røiseland 18 Landsværk 25 Ljaadal 13 Lunde 27 Lunden nordre 22 Løite 24 Markset 7 Maurlien 17 Melaas 39 Mo 14 Mostad 21 Mykland 19 Mæsel 11 Præstegaarden 3 Renstøl 15 Rød 43 Rød ytre 12 Sandaaker 4 Skorstøl 34 Staalerød 3 Stiansbraaten 33 Stien 2 Stifoss 41 Sunde 39 Sundsdalen 29 Trydal 40 Tveit 10 Ultveit 9 Vehus 9 Venaas 20 Vestøl 30 Vevestad 38 Vik 42 Østerholt

Gjerstad Bygdesoga, Vol. 1 Apland, Bjøns, Bortigard, Der Framme, Der Nord, Der Ute, Egdalen, Egderø, Egderø Vestre, Gjerstadstranna, Grantangen, Hallen, Hunsvass Øygard, Høstfet, Kjennebakken, Kjennstranna, Klokkargarden, Kveim, Langvoll, Listøl, Llyngstøl, Presthagane, rinnen, Saglia, Skaldrop, Solbakken, Steinholhaugen, Stemkjær, tangen, Tonjesbråte, Ulltveit, Ultved, Vestgård, Vestigard, Østre Egderø

Probate Records
Østre Råbyggelag judicial district *1697-1852 Family History Library *1697-1852 Digitalarkivet

Holt (Austre Nedenes) judicial district *1825-1857 Family History Library *1823-1911 Digitalarkivet

Nedenes deanery *1693-1811 Family History Library *1693-1811 Digitalarkivet