Nanortalik Parish, Greenland Genealogy

Background

 * Nanortalik, formerly Nennortalik, is a town in Nanortalik Island, Kujalleq municipality, southern Greenland.
 * With 1,185 inhabitants as of 2020, it is the eleventh-largest town in the country.
 * It is the southernmost town in Greenland with a population of over 1,000.
 * Because of its location, this area was one of the first parts of Greenland settled by the Norse and one of the last settled by the Inuit.
 * The town was founded in 1770 as Nennortalik.
 * In 1797, a permanent trading depot was set up in Nanortalik by traders from Julianehåb.
 * Due to poor harbour facilities, the town was moved three kilometers northward in 1830, where it remains today.
 * Crab fishing, hunting for hooded seals, and fishing from small boats are the main sources of income for the area's inhabitants.

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

 * 1742-1849 - Greenland Kirkebøger, 1752-1861 at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images.Includes born and baptized, confirmed, married, dead and buried and communions for most parishes. Frederikshåb 1742-1849 vol. 2
 * 1822-1926 - Church registers in Nanortalik parish - at Danish Family Search, index and images, incomplete.
 * 1822-1940 - Nanortalik: Narsaq Kujalleq/Frederiksdal Church Records - at Greenland National Archives Kirkebóger, images only, complete.

Church Location and Contact Information
Nanortalik Præstegæld Lundip Aqq. 77 Postboks 79 3922 Nanortalik Greenland Telephone: (+299) 613344 Telefax: (+299) 613514 E-mail: nanortalik@ilagiit.gl Website

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.