Which Church ledger?
If it is the first time you are researching your family history it is a good idea to read our ‘Six Tips on Researching Family History’, as well as ‘A Brief Guide to Family History Research’. These will get you started on using the church ledgers in our archives.
Using the Reading Room
You can use church ledgers to research your family history in our reading room. You can read more about using the reading room here
Six Tips for Family History Researchers
- Remember to talk to old people in your family – before it is too late.
- When you start looking for information it is best to have factual information about people’s birth, death or marriage as a starting point.
- Be precise when you write the information you find down.
- Always make a note of exactly where you find information.
- Check all recorded ages carefully.
- Double-check dates by finding out when people were confirmed
Special Cases
It can sometimes be difficult to find a specific person in the church ledgers. Sometimes because the church ledgers no longer exist. The earliest church ledgers from the South Greenland Authorities (Nanortalik to Sisimiut) were lost when the Danish ship Hans Hedtoft capsized in 1959, but some of the earliest church ledgers from north Greenland have also been lost over the years.
Difficulty finding someone can also be due to changes in Greenland’s parishes. New ones have been formed, old ones abolished, and sometimes villages have moved from one parish to another. Sometimes entries are found in other church ledgers because this is where people travelled, etc. An example: Four children from Ilulissat/Jakobshavn, were registered as being baptised in Aasiaat/Egedesminde in 1842, and are therefore registered in the church ledgers there instead.
Below you will find a list of places where you might have difficulties – and where else to look.
Nanortalik
Moravian parish until 1900. See also the church ledgers for Qaqortoq/Julianehåb for the Danish congregation.
For 1900-06 see the church ledgers for Qaqortoq/Julianehåb.
Alluitsoq/Iichtenau
Moravian parish until 1900. Check the church ledgers for Qaqortoq/Julianehåb for the Danish congregation.
Church ledgers were not preserved before 1827. Some more recent church ledgers are also missing, including boys born 1859-62, girls born 1859-62, boys confirmed 1845-62, girls confirmed 1844-62, marriages 1860-62, male deaths 1857-59 and 1872-87, and female deaths 1858-62.
Narsaq
Prior to 1952 see the church ledgers for Qaqortoq/Julianehåb
Akunnaaq/Lichtenfels
Moravian parish until 1900. Subsequently Qeqertarsuatsiaq/Fiskenæsset
Qeqertarsuatsiaat/Fiskenæsset
For 1886-1929 see the church ledgers for Nuuk/Godthåb
Noorliit/NyHerrnhut
Moravian parish until 1900. After 1900 see the church ledgers for Nuuk/Godthåb.
Maniitsoq/Sukkertoppen
Up to 1901 Atammik is registered in the church ledgers for Nuuk/Godthåb.
Kangaatsiaq
Did not become an independent parish until 1977. Prior to that it was under Aasiaat/Egedesminde.
Qasigiannguit/Christianshåb
From 1849 to 1866 Ikamiut and Akulliit are registered in the church ledgers for Aasiaat/Egedesminde.
Prior to 1849 there are some entries for Ikamiut in the church ledgers for Aasiaat/Egedesminde.
For 1856-80 see the church ledgers for Ilulissat/Jakobshavn.
Ilimanaq/Claushavn and Appat/Ritenbenk
Separate church ledgers until 1858.
From 1858-80 see the church ledgers for Ilulissat/Jakobshavn.
From 1880-1971 see the church ledgers for Qasigiannguit/Christianshåb.
After 1971 see the church ledgers for Ilulissat/Jakobshavn.
Ilulissat/Jakobshavn
The church ledgers for 1850-90 also include information on Qasigiannguit/Christianshåb.
Appat/Ritenbenk/Qullissat
From 1848-50 some data is registered in the church ledgers of Ilulissat/Jakobshavn 1848-72.
For 1855-82 see the church ledgers for Ilulissat/Jakobshavn.
Abolished in 1972 and administered under Ilulissat/Jakobshavn.
Nuussuaq and Nuusaq are under Appat/Ritenbenk until 1896, but after 1854 see the church ledgers for Uummannaq. Also earlier, especially from 1831-40, data on Nuussuaq can be found in the church ledgers for Uummannaq.
Qeqertarsuaq/Godhavn
Prior to 1800 some entries can be found in both the church ledgers for Qeqertarsuaq/Godhavn and the church ledgers for Aasiaat/Egedesminde.
Information on Kitsigsut/Kronprinsens Ejland can be found in the church ledgers for Aasiaat/Egedesminde, primarily before 1826 - although there are some later entries.
Upernavik
Upernavik was established in 1779 and abolished in 1790. The church ledgers for this period were also used as the church ledgers for Qeqertarsuaq/Godhavn 1792-1833.
For 1790-1833 see the church ledgers for Qeqertarsuaq/Godhavn.