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.

Probate Records
1688-1852 Probate records are kept in Østre Råbyggelag judicial district.

1825-1857 Probate records are kept in Holt (Austre Nedenes) judicial district.