Household examination rolls/clerical survey records (Husförhör)

Household examination rolls/clerical survey records (Husförhör) Household examination rolls make up the main church register in Sweden. In them, everyone in a parish, including children, is listed household by household. These records came about from examinations held each year to determine people’s knowledge of the catechism. The household examination has details such as name, occupation, date of birth, birth parish, marriage, etc.

The records also have information about when people moved to and from the farms or crofts. The entire family is listed together, which makes it easy to find a person’s children or parents. The examination forms typically cover a five-year period, which can provide interesting details about how a household may have changed over that time.