Faroe Islands Civil Registration

Civil Registration of Marriages [Borgerlige Vielser]
Research use: These are a primary genealogical source and excellent for linking generations.

Record type: These are marriage records of persons not married by the Lutheran clergy, maintained by civil authorities. Inasmuch as the Lutheran church is the state church, Lutheran church records serve as the only official registers of births, of deaths, and (until 1851) of marriages. After 1851 the Danish law permitted civil marriages. Although most Faroese marriages continued to be performed and officially recorded by Lutheran clergy, Plymouth Brethren and members of other churches, as well as non-religous persons, were recorded in these civil marriage records.

Time period: 1851 to present.

Contents: Names of bride and of groom, date and place of marriage; residences, occupations, marital status, names of parents and witnesses, ages or actual dates of birth; sometimes birthplaces.

Location: Faeroe National Archives [Føroya Landsskjalasavn], Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands.

Population coverage: 10 to 15%.

Death Certificates [Dødsattester]
Death certificates are an excellent source for finding out what happened to family members whose deaths may otherwise be very difficult to find. These certificates were produced by government authorities. The earliest records begin in 1879.

Records generally contain the name of deceased, cause of death, names of spouse and of parents, dates of death and burial, parish of death, place of burial. Records not in current use have been transferred to the Faeroe National Archives (Føroya Landsskjalasavn), Tórshavn.