Norwegian Census Records (Digitalarkivet): Years, Dates, and Search Tips

Norwegian census records are among the most useful sources in family history research. A good census hit can place your ancestor in a specific household on a specific date—often with relatives, servants, lodgers, occupations, and (in later years) precise birth information. This guide is an updated and cleaned-up version of my earlier overview, aligned with how Digitalarkivet presents the material today.

This article focuses on Norwegian census records in Digitalarkivet, including both searchable databases and scanned images. For many censuses, you can use the general census entry point, but for scanning/browsing you’ll often use Find source / Finn kilde.

Recommended companion posts: Digitalarkivet’s “Find source feature” • Norwegian farm structure • Link to the actual source

Quick navigation

• Quick start: which census should I try first?
• How to access Norwegian census records in Digitalarkivet
• Early “manntall” (male registers): 1660s and 1701
• State censuses: 1801–1920 (dates + what they’re good for)
• 1815–1855: numeric censuses and name lists
• Local and municipal censuses
• Privacy: why 1930/1950 aren’t freely available yet
• Search tips that actually work
• How to cite Norwegian census records

Quick start: which census should I try first?

If you’re new to Norwegian census records, start with the census that gives the cleanest identification—and then work backward. Here’s a practical order:

How to access Norwegian census records in Digitalarkivet

There are two main ways to use Norwegian census records in Digitalarkivet:

• Search (indexed/transcribed) — best when you don’t know the exact place or spelling.
• Browse scans — best when you know the place, or when you must verify context and handwriting.

Browsing scans often starts with Find source (Finn kilde). The scanned census browser is also useful when you already know county/municipality and want to navigate directly in the images.

Tip: If you don’t see a person in an indexed search, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re not there. They may be in a scanned-only portion, or indexed under a surprising spelling. When this happens, Find source + browsing can save the day.

Early “manntall” (male registers): 1660s and 1701

Before the better-known named household censuses, authorities produced earlier population listings commonly called manntall—often focused on the male population. I include them here because they appear alongside later Norwegian census records in Digitalarkivet and are frequently discussed as “census material” in genealogy.

Manntall 1663–1666 (two main series)

In Digitalarkivet, the 1660s manntall are typically used as scanned material. They can be valuable—especially where church books are thin—but they require patience: you usually need to know where to look, and the handwriting can be difficult.

Manntall 1701

  The 1701 manntall is another key early source. Be aware that preservation is uneven—some material has been lost over time, and there are known gaps.

Side note (Finnmark / Finnish-origin registration): If you’re working in Finnmark or with Finnish-origin families, you may also run into specialized registrations that aren’t “state censuses” in the modern sense, but can still provide strong location clues.

State censuses: 1801–1920 (dates + what they’re good for)

These are the core Norwegian census records most genealogists use regularly. Below are the main years, with the official census date and what to look for.

Before you begin: If you’re not familiar with how farm names function (and why “surname” can change from census to census), read: Norwegian farm structure. You can also enter the censuses from the Digitalarkivet main page 

Census 1801 (dated 1 February 1801)

The 1801 census is scanned in full and also complete in searchable form in Digitalarkivet. It’s one of the best starting points for early 1800s research because it captures household structure and relationships clearly.

Practical caution: Ages are sometimes off. Treat the calculated birth year as a guide, then confirm with church books (baptism/confirmation/marriage/burial). For church books, see: The Norwegian Church books.

Census 1865 (dated 31 December 1865)

The 1865 census is a national census (rural districts, towns, and ports) and is scanned in full and complete as a searchable database in Digitalarkivet. For many families, 1865 is the first truly reliable “workhorse” after 1801.

Census 1870 (towns only; dated 31 December 1870)

The 1870 census was held only in towns (kjøpsteder and ladesteder). In Digitalarkivet it is published as scanned material and there is also registration that allows searching. (There are known date exceptions for some places—always read the source info when it matters.)

Census 1875 (dated 31 December 1875)

This is a major update compared to the old version of this post: the 1875 census is scanned in its entirety and is searchable for the whole country in Digitalarkivet (with a known exception due to missing original material). If you have families in motion between 1865 and 1900, these Norwegian census records are often the key link.

Watch for double entries: In some situations, people could be recorded both at their permanent residence and where they were temporarily present at census time. Always verify household context.

Census 1885 (towns only; dated 31 December 1885)

The 1885 census was held only in towns. In Digitalarkivet it is scanned and searchable in its entirety—very useful for urban families, sailors, craftsmen, and early industrial workers.

Census 1891 (dated 1 January 1891)

The 1891 census is scanned in its entirety in Digitalarkivet. It differs from many other state censuses because it uses one form per person (personseddel), which makes the scanned volume large. Parts of the 1891 census are searchable; if your target area isn’t searchable, you may need to browse scans via Find source.

Census 1900 (dated 3 December 1900)

The 1900 census is searchable in its entirety in Digitalarkivet, and it also exists as scanned material (with publishing status depending on the source set). For many genealogists, 1900 is where you catch the last “at home in Norway” snapshot before a wave of emigration or urban relocation.

Census 1910 (dated 1 December 1910)

The 1910 census is searchable in its entirety in Digitalarkivet. A key improvement compared to 1900 is that full birthdate was to be given—making it one of the safest Norwegian census records for identifying the correct person among many with the same name.

Census 1920 (dated 1 December 1920)

The 1920 census is dated 1 December 1920 and is fully scanned and published in Digitalarkivet. It has also been transcribed with the help of volunteers, which means you can both search and verify in the scans. For many families, 1920 is the most recent “freely usable” national census in Norway.

1815–1855: numeric censuses and name lists

Between 1815 and 1855, censuses were carried out every ten years. In practice, many of these were primarily statistical (numeric) in nature, but you may find places where name lists exist or where scanned material can still be browsed. If you’re stuck between 1801 and 1865, it’s worth checking what survives for your area in Digitalarkivet.

Tip: If you already know the parish/municipality, browsing can be faster than searching—especially when the indexing coverage is limited or uneven.

Local and municipal censuses

In addition to the state Norwegian census records, Digitalarkivet also includes:

• Local censuses — name lists that function like censuses but aren’t tied to a national census year.
• Municipal censuses — especially common in larger cities (for example Kristiania/Oslo has extensive municipal census activity in certain periods).

These can be extremely helpful in towns where people moved frequently—and where you need more than the “every ten years” rhythm. When available, they can work like a local substitute for state Norwegian census records.

Where to look: Use Find source and filter by category (censuses) + geography + period, or start from the census overview pages in Digitalarkivet and follow links into search/browse.

Privacy: why 1930 and 1950 aren’t freely available yet

Norwegian state censuses are generally subject to a 100-year confidentiality period for personal information. That’s why 1930 and 1950 are not freely available to everyone online yet. Researchers can apply for access in some cases, but general free availability follows the 100-year rule.

If you need a “post-1920” household snapshot, look first for municipal censuses (where available), address books, church records, probate material, or other local registers—depending on time and place.

Search tips that actually work

• Start wide, then narrow: first name + approximate birth year, then add geography or farm name.
• Expect spelling variation: try several spellings and consider patronymics + farm names.
• Use household context: in Norwegian census records, the family unit is often your best proof—not a single line.
• Verify when it matters: if you’re building a solid proof argument, check the scan even when the index looks “right.”
• Cross-check: confirm census conclusions in church books (birth/confirmation/marriage/burial) and other sources.

Old habit worth keeping: Write a simple timeline as you go (known events + places). It reduces false matches—especially in periods where many people share the same names.

How to cite Norwegian census records (copy/paste templates)

When you share Norwegian census records online (or ask others for help), include a permanent link and enough detail for someone else to find the same entry quickly.

Citation template (Digitalarkivet)

Digitalarkivet (Arkivverket). (YEAR). Folketelling [YEAR], [county/municipality], [residence/household/person]. Permanent link: [PASTE LINK]. Accessed [DATE]. Or you can use the quick linking tool present on all scanned pages. This will produce a citation like this: SAO, 1920 census for Fredrikshald, 1920, p. 8056 Quick link: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/fs10151709945066 Tip: Prefer linking to the entry/household page (not just an image crop). For more on this, see: Link to the actual source.

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Helpful links (external)

• Digitalarkivet – Censuses overview
• Browse scanned censuses (Digitalarkivet)
• Find source / Finn kilde (Digitalarkivet)

Sources and further reading

Digitalarkivet (Arkivverket) provides the authoritative overview pages for each census year and for browsing/searching. In addition, this Norwegian genealogy handbooks remain useful for method and context:

Last updated: December 14., 2025