This list is a collection over time of words found in Danish church books, as an aid in transcribing and translating those genealogical records. It consists mostly of the older spellings of Danish words, and for the most part does not include the simpler words (from, on, town, his, year, farmer, and so on), nor words that are obviously very similar in English (blind, familie).
If there are two spellings in an entry, the first is usually the older.
Examples of a word’s usage are given where helpful or interesting; these are in italics, and are indented under the definition of the main word.
Plurals and definite article forms are indicated in parentheses following the English.
The letters æ, ø and å are distinct letters, and are filed in that order after z. Note that “aa” is usually the same as “å”, and thus is filed after z.
If you don’t find a word in the list alphabetically, try the “search” tool on your keyboard, as adjectives etc. may be defined under the noun it modifies. (See, for example, the definitions under kundskab.)
Also included are place names for Thisted amt (county), including spelling variations, though mostly for Vestervig parish.
Please feel free to offer corrections, alternative translations, elaborations, etc. in the comments at the end of each section!
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Rachbye = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Rakkeby)
Randrup = village in Vestervig parish
rebslager = ropemaker
Refs = civil district (herred) in Thisted amt
rigsdaler = a Danish coin, between mark and krone
Riiskierhuus = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Riskjærhus)
Roddenbjærg = village in Vestervig parish
roede hunde = rubella, German measles
rullerske = woman who takes in linen for mangling
Rævbjærg = village in Vestervig parish
Røjkær = village in Vestervig parish
Rønhede = village in Vestervig parish
Rønhede Plantage = village in Vestervig parish
rådmand = alderman
sadelmager = saddler, occasionally upholsterer
scorbut, skoerbug = scurvy, scorbutus
Seierslef = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sejerslev)
Sejersbøl = village in Vestervig parish
sekstende, 16de = sixteenth
sekund, 2d = second
selveier, selvejer = owner
Sinderup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sindrup)
Siørring = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sjørring)
sjette, 6te = sixth
Skadbjærg = village in Vestervig parish
skarlagensfeber, scarlatina = scarlet fever, scarlatina
skiftebrev = probate letter (skiftebrevet, the probate letter)
skilling, sk. = a Danish coin, between penning and mark
skilt = divorced
skoldkopper = chicken pox, varicella
skolelærer, skoleholder = schoolmaster, teacher
skolemester = schoolmaster
skomager = shoemaker
skovfoged = forester
skrædder = tailor
Skyum = parish in Thisted
Skårup = village in Vestervig parish
slagter = butcher
slægt = family
slægtning = relative
slægtsforskning = genealogy
slægtsnavn = family name
snedker = joiner, carpenter
snedkersvend = journeyman joiner
Snedsted = parish in Thisted
Snedstrup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Snejstrup)
sogn = parish (sogne, parishes)
“begge sogne,” both parishes
sognefoged = parish executive officer
Spangberg = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Spangsbjerg)
spinderske = spinner
Spolum = village in Vestervig parish
Stagstrup = parish in Thisted
stand, civilstand = status, civil status
staseoedem = congestive dropsy
Stauersbøl = village in Vestervig parish
sted = place
“sst., samme sted,” (in the) same place
stedbarn = stepchild (stedbørn, foster children)
stedfader, stiffader = stepfather
stedsøn = stepson
stenhugger = stone cutter
stilling = employment, occupation
stolemager = chair maker
stuepige = parlormaid
styrmand = mate (on a ship)
svaghed = weakness
-svend = journeyman
svigerinde, svogerske = sister-in-law
svoger = brother-in-law (svogeren, the brother-in-law)
svulst = tumor
Swankier = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Svankær)
syerske = seamstress
Syndergaard = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Søndergaard)
syndssyg = mentally ill
syttende, 17de = seventeenth
syvende, 7de = seventh
søgeresultat = search result
sømand = seaman
søn = son (sønen, the son; sønner, sons)
Sønberg = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sønbjerg)
sønder = southern
Sønderdahlgaard = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sønderdalgaard)
Sønderhaae = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Sønderhaa)
Sønderhå = parish in Thisted
søskende = sibling
søskendebarn = sibling’s child (søskendebørn, sibling’s children)
søster = sister (søstre, sisters)
saaret, såret = wounded
tambur = drummer
teglbrænder = tile maker
Teglgaarden = village in Vestervig parish
teglværksejer = brickyard owner
Thorsted = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Torsted)
tiende, 10de = tenth
tienende = serves
“tjenende Hr.,” serves Mr.
tiener i, tjener i = serves (works) in
tienestedreng, tjenestedreng = farmer's (hired) boy
tienestefolk, tjenestefolk = servants
tienestekarl, tjenestekarl = farmhand, farm laborer
tienestepige, tjenestepige = hired girl, maid
tilgangsliste = list of those people coming into the parish
tobaksspinder = tobacco spinner
toldbetjent = customs officer
tolvte, 12te = twelfth
Toppenbjærg = village in Vestervig parish
Touberg = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Tovborg)
Trankær = village in Vestervig parish
tredje, 3de = third
trettende, 13de = thirteenth
Trinitatis, Trinit. = Trinity
“20d Søndag efter Trinitatis,” 20th Sunday after Trinity
trolovede = engagement/banns
“Trolovede og Viede,” engagements/banns and marriages
“Trolovede og Copulerende,” engagements/banns and marriages
“Trolovede og Ægteviede,” engagements/banns and marriages
trolovelse = betrothal
trolovet = betrothed
træskomager = clog maker
Tvollum = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Tvolm)
Tygstrup = village in Vestervig parish
Tygstrup Vang = village in Vestervig parish
tyvende, 20de = twentieth
tæring, tuberculose = tuberculosis, consumption
tømrer, tømmermand = carpenter
tømrermester, tømrerm. = master carpenter
Tøtterup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Tøttrup)
Taabel, Tåbel = a village in Vestervig parish
Taabelbjærg, Tåbelbjærg = village in Vestervig parish
Taabeldrag, Tåbeldrag = village in Vestervig parish
udbygger = tenant farmer
udøbt = unbaptized
udlagt = alleged, designated
udlagt fader = the man alleged by the mother to be the father of a child born out of wedlock
“udlagt barnefader Tjenestekarl Laurs Henrichsen”
udlandet = gone to a foreign country
udvandre = emigrate
uge = week (uger, weeks)
Ugelew = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Uglev)
Ulnits = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Ulnitz)
Ulsted = village in Vestervig parish
umyndige = minor (child under 18)
ungkarl, ungk. = bachelor
ungsvend, ungs. = bachelor
urmager = watchmaker
urtekræmmer = grocer
uægte barn = illegitimate child
vagtmester = principal officer
vanfør = disabled
Vanghuse = village in Vestervig parish
vaskekone = washerwoman, laundress
vattersot = dropsy, edema
ved = at, near, by
Vejlegaard = village in Vestervig parish
vester, vestre, v., vstr. = western
Vester Han = civil district (herred) in Thisted
Vesterby = village in Vestervig parish
Vestervig = parish in Thisted
Vestervig = town in Vestervig parish
vidner = witness (vidnere, witnesses)
viede = marriages (see also copulerende and ægteviede)
vielse = marriage
“Han blev ægteviet til hende,” he was married to her
Villerslev = parish in Thisted
Villerup = village in Vestervig parish
Visby = parish in Thisted
vognmand = carrier/teamster, coachman
Vogntoft = village in Vestervig parish
vægter = watchman
værge = guardian
All minors (umyndige) were appointed a guardian, after a parent’s death, to represent them throughout the probate process; the guardian appointed was typically the father’s eldest brother (if the father had died), or the father himself (if the mother had died). By law, the guardian must be from the father’s side unless there were no living male relatives of the father, in which case the guardian would be from the mother’s male relatives.
værtshusholder = licensed victualler
væver = weaver
væverske = weaver (female)
Wejerslef = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Vejerslev)
Westen Aae = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Vesten Aa)
Willerslef = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Villerslev)
Ydbye = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Ydby)
ægtefælle = spouse
ægteskab = marriage
ægteviede, ægteviet = married (see also viede and copulerende)
“Han blev ægteviet til hende,” he was married to her
øde = deserted
øre = a Danish coin
Ørum = parish in Thisted
øvrige = remainder
