Swede-L recurring topics
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Genealogy

Although Swede-L is not specifically genealogy-related, genealogy is a constantly recurring thread on the list. The following are some hints and ideas on how and where to do genealogy research specific to Swedish roots.

Treasure Maps "the How-to Genealogy Site" provides online tutorials for using the U.S. Federal Census for genealogical research, deciphering old handwriting, how to do tombstone rubbings, and other tricks of the genealogy trade.
 

Rootsweb Genealogical Data Cooperative is "The Internet's Oldest and Largest Genealogy Site" and "Home of ROOTS-L (founded 1987) and Home of the RootsWeb Surname List (founded 1988). ... The RootsWeb project has two missions: 1) To make large volumes of data available to the online genealogical community at minimal cost, [and] 2) To provide support services to online genealogical activities such as USENET newsgroup moderation, mailing list maintenance, surname list generation, etc." Among its many services, Rootsweb sponsors a massive compilation of genealogy-related links (the international section links to Swedish resources); and supports e-lists such as Sweden-L.

Scandinavia & The Nordic Countries Index of genealogy Web sites. From Cyndi's List of over 30,00 genealogy sites on the Internet. Cyndi's List also provides links to genealogy-related "Magazines, Journals, Columns, Newsletters & Pamphlets" and to "Libraries, Archives & Museums."

The  Släktdata Society provides searchable and downloadable Swedish parish files, as well as an e-mail bulletin board where members can post genealogical inquiries. Mostly in Swedish, though equivalents in English are apparently under development. Under "Länkar&Adresser", includes a collection of related links.

"The e-zine RÖTTER, the world's only daily for family historians. It is published by the Swedish Federation of Genealogical Societies, a national organization with about 30,000 members. RÖTTER is both for beginners and more experienced researchers. It has three main aims: to spread knowledge, to facilitate contacts and to nourish discussion. Most of the information is in Swedish, but many pages also have English summaries."

Carina's Genealogy Pages. " I’m sitting in front of the reader and do not understand a word! What does all this gibberish mean? Födelseböcker and Dopböcker – what is that? And Husförhörslängd? Swedish words, expressions, [and] records you have to know" for genealogy research.

Länkar till Svenska släktforskningssidor, by Jörgen Blästa. A lengthy list of links to Swedish pages for genealogy research.

Two book ideas from Swede-L contributor Don Erickson and others on the list:

Swedish Genealogical Dictionary, compiled by Phyllis J. Pladsen and Joseph C. Huber, 1995, Pladsen Sveria Press. [A 4th edition was published in 2000] "The best that I have found" says Don. "The old Swedish that is found in the old church records is different from modern Swedish, so a modern Swedish-English dictionary is not going to help much. This one is specialized with the old Swedish. "  [Phyllis passed away on April 11, 2004.]

For more details about this work, see http://home.netcom.com/~v31ry/  (Copies can also be ordered from this site.)

For additional price and ordering information, email the Pladsen Sveria Press in White Bear Lake, MN (Eric Pladsen) at ordbok@att.net 

Cradled in Sweden: a Practical Help to Genealogical Research in Swedish Records, by by Carl-Erik Johansson "is a must for genealogy work in Sweden." Revised edition (June 1995. Everton Publishers, Inc., Logan, UT 84321).

Deseret Books offers 140 reference titles related to genealogy, all available for purchase online. The titles include Beginners Guide: Swedish Research, by F.Thomsen, and Cradled in Sweden (above). The Deseret site also includes links to many genealogy sites.

The Swenson Center, at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, "is a national archives and research institute for the study of Swedish immigration to North America. Its library and archival holdings are extensive, including materials from all sectors of the Swedish immigrant community in the USA and Canada."

"Origin of the Species" Swede-L member profiles. Many of these contributions include names of relatives going back several generations.