Tracing your Danish immigrant ancestors is a rewarding journey, but it can also feel like solving a complex puzzle. Because so many people in Denmark shared the same names, and because those names often changed when they arrived in America, it is easy to get confused. However, with the right strategy and a careful eye, you can find out exactly where your family came from.
This article explores the best methods and resources for identifying who your ancestor was in their home country and how to locate them in Danish records.
Start Where They Ended Up: US Records
Many researchers want to jump straight into Danish records, but the secret to success is actually exhausting the records in the United States first. To find your ancestor in Denmark, you almost always need a specific birth date or, even better, a specific place of origin. Without these details, distinguishing your ancestor from the thousands of other Danes with similar names is nearly impossible.
To find that specific hometown or birth date, you should look at these five main types of records created after they arrived in America:
The Tricky Business of Names
One of the biggest challenges you will face is name changes. It is very important to be careful with names because they almost always changed to sound more "American."
You should watch for common name-changing patterns. The "en" at the end of a surname often changed to "on." For example, "Hansen" frequently became "Hanson." First names were also translated. "Johan" often became "John," and "Jens" became "James." "Anders" usually changed to "Andrew." Some changes were less obvious, such as "Sidse" becoming "Ceci" or "Cecilia." Recognizing these name changes is important to making sure you are tracking the right person.
Locating Them in Danish Records
Once you have a birth date, a potential location, and perhaps the names of parents, you are ready to look at Danish records. It is best to have a specific place of birth, but if you have gathered enough other information, you may be able to find them using broader searches.
Church and Parish Records
Parish records are a key part of Danish research. They contain the most vital information, including birth and christening records, confirmation records, marriage records, and death or burial records. These are the best tools for linking a person to a specific location and family.
MyHeritage has a large collection of Danish church records. If you have a birth date and parents' names, you can search this collection that covers almost everyone in the country.
Census Records
Census records are great for seeing the family group as a whole. They list everyone in the household, their ages, what they did for a living, and after 1845 list the parish where people were born. Seeing a child listed with parents and siblings helps confirm you have the right family. MyHeritage has Danish census records from 1787 to 1940.
Emigration Records
If your ancestor left Denmark between 1868 and 1940, there is a good chance they are listed in the Copenhagen Police Emigration Records. The police recorded everyone leaving Denmark for overseas, not just people from Copenhagen. These records are very helpful because they list the person’s name, age, occupation, their last residence, and their final destination.
If your ancestor left between 1869 and 1908, they may appear in emigration passenger lists leaving the country, which usually provide the town they were living in when they left. MyHeritage has a Denmark Emigration Index.
Ancestry also has a Denmark Emigration Index.
Probate Records
Probate records deal with the distribution of a person's estate after they die. These can be very useful for confirming family connections. For example, a probate record for a parent in Denmark might list a child "residing in America," which helps prove you have found the correct family.
Verify Your Findings
Finally, be careful not to make assumptions. Because so many people in Denmark had the same names and were born around the same time, it is easy to claim the wrong ancestor. You should try to find multiple records in both the US and Denmark to verify your findings.
A good technique is to try to "disprove" your theory. If you think you found your ancestor in a Danish birth record, look for a death record for that same child. If that child died in Denmark at age 10, they clearly aren't the person who immigrated to America. By double-checking your facts and looking at the whole picture, you can confidently identify who your ancestor was in their home country.
Written by Jonathan Nielsen, owner of EverythingArticles.com
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