This dictionary contains words related to genealogy focusing on the words you are not likely to find in an ordinary modern Norwegian dictionary.

The dictionary contains words that I have come across while doing genealogy in Norway. This means the words be in either of the languages Latin, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål or Norwegian Nynorsk.

Open the menu (+ Navigate) to find an alphabet to make it easier to navigate.

Be sure to check out the rest of this blog!

A

• aar (år)- year
• absolvere – to give absolution
• absolusjon – absolution (religious)
• absolutio (latin) – to confess ones sins
• absolutio publice (latin) – to publicly confess ones sins and being given absolution. Ritual performed in church in the presence of the congregation
• adel- nobility
• adelig – nobel
• adelmann – nobelman
• adlet – raised to the nobility
• admissa(feminin)/admissus(mask)(lat.) – admittet
• adoptere – to adopt
• adoptert – adopted
• adoptiv (barn) – adopted child
• af (from Dahish) – of, off or from
• afgang – departure or passing (death)
• afgagne – deceased (archaic)
• afskediget – dismissed
• afskrift – transcript or copy
• aften – evening
• ager og eng – arable fields and meadows
• alen – old Norwegian measure (~62.75 cm)
• ald.- abbr. for “alder” – age
• alder- age
• alderdom – old age
• alderdomssvakhet –  weakness of old age
• aldersbesiktigelse – military age inspection; assessment of a man’s age and fitness for
• allodialrett / odelsrett – hereditary right to family land
• alm. abbrevation for almindelig – general
• almisse – charity
• almisselem – person recevving charity/pauper
• altergang/altargang –  communion (in church)
• altergangsgjenst – person receiving communion
• amt (archaic for fylke) – county
• amtmann – chief administrator of the “amt” (County) until 1919
• anden (archaic) – second
• andre – second or other
• ane/aner – ancestor/ancestors
• anetavle – pedigree chart/family tree
• anføre – record, enter, mention
• anker – old liquid measure (~38 liters) Also anchor
• anmerkning – note
• annex – auxiliary
• anno (latin) – year
• ante (latin) – before
• apotheker – pharmacist
• arbeidsmand/arbeidsmann – worker/laborer
• arm – poor or arm (limb)
• arrestant – prisoner
• arv – inheritance
• arving – heir
• arvelodd – part of heritance
• assessor (archaic) – assistant judge. Earlier used about the members of the Danish Supreme Court.
• attende (NN)- back, eighteenth
• attest – certificate, testimonial
• attestatum – certificate or attestation
• attlege – meadow
• aude – desolate
• audegard (NN) – abandoned farm
• av- of, by
• avgang (bortgang, død)- demise, death, departure
• avgangshavn – port of departure
• avling – harvest
• avskjediget – dismissed

B

• b. – abbrevation for barn se below
• bark – sailing vessel
• barn (NN pl. born)- child, children
• barnebarn- grandchild, grandchildren
• barnefar – the father of the child
• barnløs (barnlaus)- childless
• barselseng – birthing bed
• beboer – resident
• befaring – inspection of land or buildings
• begravelse – burial/funeral
• begravet (gravlagd)- buried
• beholdning – estate inventory, remaining goods
• bemeldte – reported
• benefisiered – modern benefisert: land property assigned to a (clerical) office
• berigtiget – corrected or certified
• besittelse – possession
• beskrivelse (skildring)- description
• beslægted – related
• bestefar- grandfather
• bestemor- grandmother
• besøkende – visitor (sometimes seen in censues)
• betegnelse – designation or description
• betjent/betient – officer
• biografi- biography
• biografisk- biographical
• blandkorn – mixture of two types of grain, usually oats and barley
• blef – was, became
• bleiv – to die
• blikkenslager – Originally a person making and repairing items of metal. Some of these persons often travelled from place to place to offer their services. (see Kjeleflikker). In the 1800’s this word is more likely to describe a person working metals in the building trades and is performed by persons working from a permanent location.
• blodskam – incest
• bo- in place names, “farm”
• bo, bur, bodde, budd – live
• boede – lived
• bonde- farmer
• borger – resident of a town who was permitted to engage in profession or trade.
• borgerbrev – permission to to engage in profession or trade in a town
• borgerrull(e) – list of residents (most often in a town)
• bortgang (avgang, død) – death, the passing of a person
• bosted – place of residence
• bot – fine, punishment
• br. – abbrevation for bruk se below
• branntakst – estimated value of a building
• branntakstprotokoll –  list of the estimated value of buildings.
• broder – brother
• bror, pl. brødre- brother, brothers
• brorsøn(n) – son of brother
• brordatter – daughter of brother
• brud – bride
• brudgom – bridegroom
• brudepar – the couple that is getting married
• bruk – farm part/subdivision. Norw. farms are divided into several “bruk” with separate families and household
• bruksnummer (bnr.) – subdivision number of a farm
• brukar/bruker – tennant farmer
• brygger – brewer
• budeie – milk maid
• bunad – costume. In Norway used about national costumes
• bureising – creation or clearing of new farmland
• by- town, village
• bygd- rural settlement
• bygdebok – Norwegian farm and family history (See What is a “bygdebok”)
• bygsel, bøksel, bøxel – agreement on renting a piece of land
• bygsle, bøksle (verb) – to rent land
• byrd _ descent
• bødker/bøkker – cooper
• børn – children (Danish)
• bøtelagt – to have been given a fine
• baad – boat
• baadbygger – boat builder
• baaret (archaic) –  carried

C

• capitain – military rank, captain
• carite – charity
• cautio – security deposit or guarantee
• cautionister (often abbr. caut.) – Witnesses to a wedding
• caverer – witness to a wedding
• caveringsmenn – witnesses to a wedding
• chirurgus – medical doctor
• cirka – approximately
• circulære – official circular or directive
• civilstand – marital status
• coffardie skipper – captain on a merchant wessel
• cognatus – related through the mother’s side of the family
• communion, abbr: commun/com – communion (church ritual)
• communionbog – communion record
• confirmerede – confirmed, confirmands
• confitens (abb: confit)(Lat.) – person receiving Holy communion
• consumptions-betient – officer collecting tax on consumer goods
• contoir – office
• copulatio – marrying
• copulere (latin) abbr. cop/copul – to wed
• copulerede (archaic)-people who is wedded. Used in church records
• cum (Lat.) – with

D

• d. – abbr. for dead
• d.e. – abbr. for the older (senior)
• d.y. – abbr. for the younger (junior)
• d.s.s. – abbr. for the same as
• da – then, as
• daap (dåp)- baptism
• dag- day
• dagarbeider – day laborer (hired for the day)
• dagleie (-leje) – day labor
• dal – valley
• dampskib – steamboat (archaic)
• dannequinde – a woman of good family
• dannemand – a man of good family
• datere – date
• datter, døtre- daughter, daughters
• datterdatter – daughter’s daughter, grandchild
• datum – date
• degn – parish clerk or precentor
• deleforretning – division of inheritance or a property
• deres (NN deira)- their
• despons – engaged
• dies (latin) – dag
• dissenter – a person who is not a member of the state church. (This in relation to Norwegian genealogy)
• dissenterloven – Norwegian law from 1845 that allowed people to be members of religious communities other than the state church
• Dom/Dominica (latin) – Sunday
• Dominus (latin) – The Lord
• domkirke – cathedral. i.e. the church where the bishop gives the sermon. The main church in the diocese
• domsskifte – probate case decided by court
• dra- pull
• dra- travel, go away
• dragon/dragoon – light infantry man
• dreng – male farmhand
• drengebarn – male child
• dræng – boy/male farmhand
• dø (NN døy) – to die
• døbe (Danish) –  to baptize
• døbenavn (Danish) – given name
• døbt/døpt – having been baptized
• død- death, deceased
• dødfødt/dødfød – stillborn
• dølgsmål – Usually used about giving birth in secrecy
• døpe (NN døype)- baptize

E

• eder / eedsvorn – sworn oath
• efter (etter)- after
• efterkommer(e) – descendant(s)
• efterlevende – survivors
• efterslektstavle – descendants chart
• eftersyn – review or later inspection
• egteskap – marriage
• egteskapslysning – marriage banns
• eie/eje – to own
• eie/eje – suffix to a farmname to indicate that this is a cotter’s place.
• eiendomsoverdragelse – transfer of property
• eige (NN)- to own
• eigelut – possession (about things)
• eigendom (NN) – property
• ejus (Abbr. ejusdem)(latin) – The same as. Used in church records to indicate same day/month
• ekte- legitimate
• ekte (egte, ægte)- (verb) to marry
• ektefelle – spouse
• ektefolk, ektepar (egte-, ægte-)- married couple
• ekteskap (egte-, ægte-) – marriage
• ekteviet – wedded
• ekstraskatt – supplementary tax
• eldhus – utility building on the farm. Has a big fireplace
• eldre- older
• eldst- oldest
• embede – public office
• embedsmann – senior civil servant or member of the clergy
• ene – alene
• enes – to agree
• engelsk syke – rickets
• enke (NN enkje)- widow
• enkemann (NN enkjemann)- widower
• enkestand – widowed
• ennu – still, yet
• ental (entall)- singular
• enslig – single
• ere – are
• erhverv – livelihood
• erklæring – statement or declaration
• et (latin) – and/also
• eye – to own. Sometimes found as ending to a farm name meaning that this is a cotter’s place belonging to said farm.
• eyer – owner

F

• f. abbr. for fødd/født – born
• fader (archaic) – father
• fadder, abbr. fadd. – godparent, sponsor
• familie – family
• fant – homeless person who travels from place to place. Often used in a derogative manner. Sometimes used about a person of the Romani people.
• fanteprotokoll – register of vagrants
• far, fedre – father, fathers
• farbror – father’s brother (uncle)
• farfar – father’s father (grandfather)
• farmor – father’s mother (grandmother)
• farsside – father’s part of the family
• farsot – plague
• faster – father’s sister (aunt)
• Faste – Lent
• fattig – poor
• fattigkommisjon – poverty relief council
• fattiglem – pauper
• fedrene – the ancestors, ancestral, the fathers
• felles – common, joint, together
• festeseddel – written contract about the lease of land
• festekar/festemann – the man a woman is engaged to. Sometimes used about a bridegroom
• festemøy – the woman a man is engaged to. Sometimes used about a bride.
• fetter- cousin (male)
• fhv. – abbr.  for forhenværende meaning former, late
• firmenning – third cousin
• fisker – fisherman
• fiskesjå – a shed to store fish
• flor – a building to keep cattle/cowshed
• fogd/foged – head of fogderi. The Crowns representative. Bailiff
• fogderi – old administrative unit
• fol/folia (latin) – sheet of paper or page in a church book
• follougsmand/-kone – man or woman receiving support- Same as “kår” see this
• folgemann/ – kone – man or woman receiving support- Same as “kår” see this
• folgefolk – couple receiving support – same as “kår” see this
• foreldre/forældre- parents
• forfatter- author
• forfedre- ancestors
• forlovet – engaged
• forlovede – fiancee
• forløftningsmand – witness to a wedding
• formedelst (Danish) – because of
• formynder – guardian
• forpakter – tenant farmer, sometimes (wrongly) used about a farm manager
• forsørge- support (the family/children)
• forsørges av…. – supported by
• fortegnelse – list or register
• foureer – military rank
• forældre (archaic) – parents
• fosterbarn abbr. fosterb. – foster child/children
• fosterdatter, abbr. fosterd. – foster daughter
• fosterfar – foster father
• fostermor – foster mother
• fostersøn(n), abbr. fosters, – foster son
• fostre – raise, take care of
• fra (NN frå)- from
• fragtbeløp/fragtbillet – fare, cost of freight
• fram, frem- forward
• fril(le)datter – daughter born out of wedlock
• fril(le)søn – son born out of wedlock
• frue (kone)- wife
• fuld (archaic) – full
• ful(l)mæktig – person who has been given certain powers
• furer – military rank
  fut – head of fogderi. The Crowns representative. Bailiff
• fylke- district, county
• fyrverker – rank in the artillery
• født (fødd)- born
• fødested(fødestad)- place of birth
• føderåd (føderaad) – support of elderly people
• føderåds-, mann, kone – man or woman receiving “føderåd”
• ført- recorded
• fælleds (felles) – in common/ have together
• færaskrin – chest used to carry luggage while traveling
• får – receives, sheep

G

• g. – abbr. for gård/gard -farm or married
• g.m. – abbrevation for “gift med” → married to.
• gade (Danish) – street
• gammel (gammelt, gamle)- old
• gang – time (occurence) e.g. “anden gang” = second time
• ganing – cleaning of herring
• gardsnummer/gårdsnummer – farmnumber
• gardsnavn/gårdsnavn- farm name
• gbr. – abbrevation for “Gardbruker/Gaardbruker” → farmer
• garnison – military garrison
• gevorben soldat – enlisted soldier
• gift (vigd)- married
• giftarmål (NN)- marriage
• giftermaal – marriage
• givt – married
• gjørtler – A craftsman who casts metal – most often pewter and copper
• gmd. (abbr.) – Gaardemand → Farmer
• gods- estate, property
• graflagt, abbr. graf. – buried
• grend- neighborhood, rural settlement
• grube – mine
• gudmor – godmother
• Gudstjeneste/Gudstieneste – church serveice
• gutt- boy
• gaard (gård, NN: gard)- farm
• gaardbruker (gaardbruger), gårdbruker- farmer
• gaarddeling – subdivision of a farm
• gaardskarl – farm hand
• gaardsmann/gaardemand – (abbr; gmd.) farmer
• gaardsbeboer – farm resident
• gårdsnavn – farm name
• gårdsregister – official list of farms

H

• hr. abbr for Herr – Mister
• ha – to have, posses
• hadde – had
• halsebrev –  is an older legal term in that refers to a document related to a deceased person’s estate or property
• handelsmann – trader
• handfestning – royal charter or guarantee
• hans – his
• have – garden/ verb; to have
• havde (archaic) – had
• hennes, (NN: hennar) (archaic hendes) – her
• herad (archaic for kommune) – municipality
• herred (archaic for kommune) – municipality
• hesteskjær – person castrating horses. This work was often performed by travelling persons of the Romani people.
• hittebarn – orphan
• hjem (NN heim) – a home
• hjemme (NN heime) – at home
• hjemmedøbt – baptized at home
• hjemstavnsrett – legal home parish
• hjå (NN) – at
• hmd. – Abbrevation for “husmand” → cotter
• hold – see “kår”
• holdfolk “see “kårfolk”
• hor – adultery
• hovedlod – principal share of inheritance
• humatus, humatio – funeral, interment
• husar – cavalry man
• husbonde (huusbonde) – male head of household
• huseier – houseowner
• husfader – male head of household
• husholderske – housekeeper
• hushjelp – housemaid
• husmann (abbr: hmd.) – tenant farmer, cotter, crofter
• husmannsplass – cotter’s place
• husmannsseddel – the written agreement the tenant farmer makes with the owner of the land on which he resides.
• husmor – housewife
• hustru – wife
• hvad (archaic) – what
• hvor- where
• høj (archaic) – tall, hay
• høker – seller with limited retail rights
• høymesse – main church service
• håndarbeide – handcraft
• håndverk -handcraft

I

• i- in, whitin
• ibid(em) (latin)- same place as above
• idem/item (latin)- same as above
• ikring (NN) – about, approximately
• illegitimus (latin) – illegitimate
• inderst, innerst – boarder
• in fidem (latin) – used when certifying a signature in a document
• in loco (latin) – in this location
• innerst – lodger
• intet – nothing
• introduseret (abbr: introd) – the reintroduction into the congregation of a woman who had recently given birth (church ritual)
• innvandrer- immigrant
• innflytta- moved in/immigrated
• innrulleringsmanntall – naval conscription roll

J

• jagt – hunt
• jamfør (jevnfør) abbr; jfr – refer to (other source)
• jamgodt (NN) – equal to
• jamstore (NN) – equal size
• jevnførselsliste – list in church records that cross-reference to other entries
• jekt/jækt/jægd- old cargo ship
• jektefart – coastal freight shipping with jekt
• jekteskipper – skipper of a jekt
• jomfru – litt. virgin. Used about unmarried women of higher social standing
• jordbruk/jordbrug – farming
• jorddrott – landlord
• jordfestelse – burial
• jordpåkastelse – the act of committing a body to the grave at a burial
• jordskifte – redistribution of land parcels
• jordskyld – land rent
• jæger – infantery soldier
• jægtmand – captain on a sailingwessel (jekt/jækt/jægd- old cargo ship)

K

• kan – can
• kaveringsmenn – witnesses to a wedding.
• kirke (NN kyrkje)- church
• kirkebøker- church book, church record
• kirkesanger – see “Klokker”
• kiøn – gender
• kjeleflikker – person making and repairing items of metal such as cauldrons and kettles. Some of these persons often traveled from place to place to offer their services. (see Blikkenslager)
• kjønn – sex. Gender
• kjørekarl – driver of horse drawn wagon
• klokker – lay person assisting the minister during church service. In the time before church organs, he led the congregation in singing. From 1812 he kept a copy of the church record
• klyngetun – clustered farm settlement
• koffardikaptein – captain on a merchant ship
• komme – come/arrive
• kommune (archaic: herred)- municipality
• kone (frue)- wife
• konferer (konferere)- compare
• konfirmert- confirmed
• kongelig- royal
• krambod – general store
• koperværk – copper works
• kreatur – cattle
• kreaturskatt – livestock tax
• kristna(NN)- baptized
• kristne (NN)- to baptize
• krydtsbetient – customs officer on a coastal customs vessel
• krøbling/krøpling – crippled/physically disabled person
• kunngjøring – public notice
• kusine- cousin (female)
• kvegrøgter – cattle herder
• kvinne, -r (archaic: kvinde, -r) – woman, -women
• kvindekjøn – female
• kyrkje – church
• kyrkjegods – property owned by the church
• kyrkjeverge – administrative position responsible for the maintenance of a church and it’s economy
• kår- agreement about support of elderly people. Usually made with the son/daughter who took over/inherited the farm.
• kårbrev – the written agreement about support
• kårfolk – the couple who is supported
• kårkone – the woman who is being supported
• kårmann – the man who is being supported
• kårstaue/kårhus – house on the farm where the supported people live.
• kaard – see “kår”

L

• lagrettemann – sworn lay juror at local court
• lade – a building to keep corn or hay/barn
• land- country, also property
• landmann (bonde)- farmer
• landskyld – annual rent paid in goods or produce
• laug – guild or craft association
• lausunge- unmarried woman’s child (somewhat rude expression, should be referred to as “uekte” or “født utenfor ekteskap”)
• legd – group of farms (community) that together support a number of paupers or soldiers
• legdslem/lægdslem – community supported pauper
• legd(lægds)smand – male community supported pauper
• legds(lægds)kone – female community supported pauper
• legge – put
• leiermål/lejermaal – adultery, fornication
• leiglending – a person who rents the land
• lensearbeider/lænsearbeider – person working at a river log boom
• lensmann – the local police officer (sheriff)
• lerretsmål – measure of linen cloth
• leylending – a person who rents the land
• livøre – agreement about support of old people
• logerende, logerer – boarding
• lut (NN) – part
• løpenummer/løbenumber (lnr.) – older numbering of farms
• løsarbeider – day laborer
• Løverdag – Saturday

M

• maa – has to
• maanedspike – (servant)girl hired for a month at the time
• mann (archaic mand), menn – man, men
• manntall – census or register
• matrikkel- register, roll
• matros – sailor, deck-hand
• medbrakte penge – cash on hand
• men – but
• mer(e) – more
• merknad – note, remark
• moder (Danish) – mother
• mor (archaic: moder)- mother
• morbroder – mother’s brother
• morbror- mother’s brother
• morfar- mother’s father, grandfather
• mormor- mother’s mother, grandmother
• moster – mother’s sister, aunt
• mundering – uniform and equipment for military service
• munderingsfri – exempt from providing equipment
• mølledreng – worker at a flourmill

N

• nadverd – communion
• nattverd – communion
• navn (namn)- name
• nedre- lower
• nei – no
• nest – second (i.e. second youngest, second oldest etc.)
• nevø- nephew
• niese (brordatter, søsterdatter)- niece
• nomen (abbr. nom.)(latin) – name
• nord- north
• nordre- Northern
• nære (verb) – ” nærer seg av…” – makes a living from…
• når avreist – time of departure

O

• odel – the oldest child’s right to inherit the farm. In earlier days always the oldest son.
• odelstakst – valuation for odel (allodial) rights
• odelstakstmann – person valuing odel land
• offentlig – public
• officiant – officiating minister
• og – and
• oldefar- great-grandfather
• oldemor- great-grandmother
• om – about
• omkring- surrounding
• omstreifer – homeless person who travels from place to place. Sometimes used about the Romani people.
• onkel- uncle
• opgang – survey of property or resources
• oppfostringsbarn – fosterchild
• opphav- origin
• oppvaksen (vekse opp)- grown up

P

• paa – on/at
• Paaske/Påske – Easter
• panteobligasjon – mortgage bond
• panteattest – certificate of no liens
• part, partane – part, parts or party, parties
• pensionist – pensioner
• pige (danish) –  (abb: pg) girl
• pike, jente- (abb: pk)- girl
• plass- place, homestead
• pleiebarn (plejebarn) – foster child
• pleiedatter (plejedatter) – foster daughter
• pleiesønn (plejesøn(n))- foster son
• post (latin) – after
• post – mail
• postfører – mail carrier
• post tenebras spero lucem (latin) – after darkness i hope for light
• prest/præst, – minister
• prestegard – parsonage, rectory
• prestegjeld abbr: pr.gj. – parish
• prima vice (lat) – first time
• præsteattest – priest’s certificate
• publice absolverede (latin) – those who has received absolution in public. (In church with the congregation present)
• pårørende/pårørande – next of kin

Q

• quinde(qvinde) (archaic) – woman
• quindekjøn (qvindekjøn) – female
• qvitt (abbreviation) qvittering – receipt

R

• rakkar – executioner’s assistant / handler of dead animals
• rector – principal (school) modern NO. → rektor
• registering – the act of  recording
• registrert- recorded
• reise – to travel, a journey
• reise – erect
• rodenummer – urban property number
• røyert – rower
• røykstove – a one storied building with a square opening in the
  roof(a ‘ljore’) to let out smoke above the oven which didn’t have
  a pipe.
• rådstue – town hall and court building

S

• sakkyndig – expert witness
• salige (abbr: sal) – blessed. Used in reference to a deceased person
• salmaker – saddel maker
• salsbrev – deed of sale
• samboere- couple living together without being lawful wedded
• saugarbeider (archaic) – worker at saw mill
• saugbruk – saw mill
• saugmester – leader of a saw mill
• selveier – person who owns the land on which he resides
• sengebu – a building with beds
• signekone – female healer
• sjølvfolk – the married couple who head the household
• skatt- tax
• skifte- probate
• skifteforvalter – probate administrator
• skifteprotokoller- probate records
• skiftesamling -meeting of heirs
• skilt – divorced
• skip – ship
• skipreide (archaic) – old military unit
• skjødemann skjøtemann – usually used about a church caretaker/custodian
• skjøte – deed of ownership transfer
• skomaker/skomager – cobbler
• skot -a minor attic/loft used to sleep in, very often open/or a
  lumber room
• skov (Danish) – forest
• skrædder – tailor
• skrin – small chest
• skriven – recorded
• skrædder/skræder/skredder – tailor
• skyldsette (skyldsatt) – to assess the value of a piece of land.
• skytje- a minor outhouse/shed, very often used for storing wood
  or keeping tools or other implements
• skøyte, skøte – record issued to prove ownership of land
• skøyte – sailboat, skate
• slekt – family, kin, lineage
• slektning – relative
• slettemark – uncultivated land
• snedker / snekker – carpenter
• snedkermæster – master carpenter
• smaabruk (småbruk)- small farm
• smalhus – sheepshed/goatshed (smali=old norr for small cattle)
• smedarbeider – a worker in metal (normally blacksmithing)
• sokn, sogn – sub-parish/local parish
• soldatlegdsystem – military recruitment by farm rotation
• Statsarkivet- State Archives
• stad, by- city, town
• stadfeste – confirm
• staue (dialectal) stove (NN) stue – small house, cottage
• stamtavle- pedigree
• stesøn(n)/stedsøn(n) – stepson
• stefader/stefar – step father
• stift – diocese or administrative region
• stivfader/stifader – step fader
• strandsitter – seaside resident who does not own the land
• stridt – hard, difficult
• stykjunker – obsolete military rank at sergeant level
• speciedaler – old money currency
• stabbur – a storage building for food (on poles to keep animals out)
• stamfar- ancestor, progenitor
• stueland – small home plot
• sundmann – ferryman
• supra (latin) – above
• sval – a kind of roof covered gangway/hallway either around the
  building or on one side of the building
• svigerfader – father in law
• svigermoder – mother in law
• søebrug – fishing
• sødsken (archaic) – siblings
• søefarende – sailor/at sea
• sømand – (Danish) sailor
• søn – son
• søndre- southern
• sør – south
• søsken – siblings
• søskenbarn- (syskenborn) – cousin
• søster, syster, søstre- sister, sisters
• søstersøn(n) – son of sister
• søsterdatter – daughter of sister

T

• taksere – appraise or value
• takksigelse – the act of  thanksgiving
• tambour/tambur -(military) drummer
• tante- aunt
• taus – girl, quiet
• teig- part of farm (productive land)
• testamente- will, testament
• testes (latin) – witnesses
• tidligere næringsvei – previous occupation
• tiendepenger – tithe paid in money
• tiener – servant
• tieneste – service
• til – to
• tillige – in addition to
• til søes – at sea
• ting – court meeting
• tinglag – judicial district
• tinglest – legally registered
• tinglyse – publicly announce the validity of a written agreement
• tittel – title
• tjenestefolk- servants
• tjenestegutt- male servant
• tjeneste -jente, -pike – female servant
• tjpg. – abbrevation for tjenestepige → female servant
• told/toll – customs
• trearbeider – woodworker or carpenter
• trekningsliste – military draft list
• tremenning – second cousin
• trulova – engaged to be married
• tukthus, tugthus – prison
• tyende – servant
• tømmermand – carpenter/woodworker
• tømra – built of timber
• tå (dialectal)- from

U

• uekte  (archaic: uægte)child – illegitimate, born out of wedlock
• ugift- unmarried/single
• umyndig – under legal age
• understøttelse – support
• ung, yngre, yngst- young, younger, youngest
• ungkar, (archaic: ungkarl) – bachelor
• utenfor ekteskap – out of wedlock
• utflytta- moved out, emigrated
• utsæd – seed sown; measure of farm size
• utvandrer- emigrant
• uxor/uxore (Lat) – wife. Sometimes in Church records: “mans’s name” cum uxor(e) with wife

V

• vandel – conduct or character (used in emigration papers)
• vanfør – physically disabled
• vardøger – spirit precursor mentioned in folklore records
• ved- by, at
• ved- firewood
• vedskjul – woodshed
• vekter – guard
• ver -son,-dotter,-mor,-far- son-, daughter… in law (sometimes used about step -son – daughter.)
• vest – west
• vestre – western
• vielse – wedding (the formal act by minister or official)
• vigd(e)- wedded (to have undergone the formal act by minister or official)
• vognmann (-mand) – coachman
• våningshus – the house on the farm where the people live.
• vårting – spring court session

W

X

• X-ian – abbr. for given name Kristian/Christian
• X-opher/X-ofer – abbr. for given name Christopher/Kristoffer

Y

Z

Æ

• ægte – true or real. In church records used to confirm that the child is born in marriage
• ægteskab (archaic) – marriage
• ærbarhet – honor
• ærbødigst – respectfully
• ære – honor
• ætt – family
• ættling – heir

Ø

• ødegård, ødegard – farm left unattended
• ødemarksskatt – tax on outlying land
• øydegårdsrett – right to reclaim abandoned farm land
• øst – east
• østre – eastern
• øvre, øverste – upper

Å

• åleine – alone
• åndsveik – mentally retarded (this expression is no longer in use)
• år-year
• årlig (NN årleg) – annual
• åtte – eight, owned