RSVP for Norwegian Genealogy

media release: Wisconsin Historical Society is excited to provide this program.

Join Eleanor Brinsko and learn about Norwegian bygdebøker, Norwegian church records, Norwegian census records, and more! Register today!

Registration Deadline: 12:00PM, Nov.18. The program takes place from 9 am-3 pm on Nov 20, on Zoom.

About the Presenter:

Eleanor Brinsko is a professional genealogist who specializes in Norwegian-American genealogy by looking at genealogical and social trends on both sides of the Atlantic. Eleanor has given lectures for the Wisconsin Historical Society, public libraries across the country, genealogical societies, and family reunions.  She also teaches a genealogy course at the UW-Madison campus.

Topics Covered:

There is a myriad of triggers for what brought our Norwegian ancestors to America, but the end desire was the same: for a better life for themselves and for their family. Research strategies, such as finding ports that they came through to get to America, finding the Norwegian settlements in America, and looking at different name spellings and choices (farm name over patronymic name). Norwegian-language newspapers from Minnesota and Wisconsin will also be explored as we look for ancestors' names within to build out their narratives.

We will explore how to use Norwegian genealogical databases, such as DigitalArkivet for government records, church database websites to find parishes and their histories, and social media to connect with family members and stay up-to-date with advancements in genealogical resources both in Norway and America.

Eleanor will guide the genealogist through understanding Norwegian bygdebøker, Norwegian church records, and Norwegian census records. The genealogist will also learn how to contact the kommune and the ancestral parish to gain additional information on their ancestor.

Vikings can be thought of as a stereotype of the Scandinavian people. Inspired by a great genealogical discovery that Eleanor had while in Norway, she learned how the area of her ancestors was a hub to a lot of Viking action. In this lecture, we will learn about how the Viking Era formed the way the country has been operating since and where the hot spots for the Viking action were. Maybe one of those areas is where your ancestors were living, too!

Other topics:

• Norwegians In America
• Norwegian Online Resources
• Norwegian Records
• Viking Hubs and Genealogy

Webinar Details: After registration closes, we will email you the link needed to participate in the webinar. You will need a computer with internet access to participate. Participants will be able to ask questions. If no internet access is available to you, you may be able to participate by call-in for audio-only access. If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your junkmail folder, just in case. A recording of the presentation will be available for 30 days for those who register only.