{"id":28,"date":"2021-05-16T09:47:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-16T08:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/?page_id=28"},"modified":"2026-02-04T08:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:36:09","slug":"locations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/locations\/","title":{"rendered":"Locations \u2014 from Norway and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:24% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"679\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-679x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-136 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-679x1024.png 679w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-199x300.png 199w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-768x1158.png 768w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-1019x1536.png 1019w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename-1200x1809.png 1200w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-map-with-old-fylkename.png 1332w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of my family originates from Norway, and I was born there, so that is where I will start. Understanding where people lived has been essential in tracing my ancestors and in identifying the correct church records. Up until 1800, more than 90% of Norwegians lived on farms, and many of these farms are described in the farm books (bygdeb\u00f8ker) of each county. The farm books from the west coast of Norway, where Osa is located, have been particularly helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The map on the left is taken from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regions_of_Norway\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Norway: Regions and Counties<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norway was traditionally divided into five geographical regions Norway was traditionally divided into five regions (Vestlandet, \u00d8stlandet, Midt\u2011Norge, Nord\u2011Norge and S\u00f8rlandet), which were then split into counties (fylker) and parishes. (See maps below, taken from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Regions_of_Norway\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before 2017, Norway had <strong>19 counties<\/strong> (shown on the middle map). In 2017, several were merged, reducing the number to <strong>11 counties<\/strong> (shown on the right\u2011hand map). From <strong>2024<\/strong>, some of these mergers were reversed, and Norway now has <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.regjeringen.no\/no\/tema\/kommuner-og-regioner\/kommunestruktur\/fylkesinndelingen-fra-2024\/id2922222\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"15 counties\">15 counties<\/a><\/strong>, mostly matching the pre\u20112017 structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"foogallery foogallery-container foogallery-justified foogallery-lightbox-foobox fg-justified fg-ready fg-light fg-shadow-outline fg-loading-default fg-loaded-fade-in fg-caption-hover fg-hover-fade fg-hover-zoom2\" id=\"foogallery-gallery-142\" data-foogallery=\"{&quot;item&quot;:{&quot;showCaptionTitle&quot;:true,&quot;showCaptionDescription&quot;:false},&quot;lazy&quot;:true,&quot;template&quot;:{&quot;rowHeight&quot;:200,&quot;maxRowHeight&quot;:300,&quot;margins&quot;:2,&quot;align&quot;:&quot;center&quot;,&quot;lastRow&quot;:&quot;smart&quot;}}\" style=\"--fg-title-line-clamp: 0; --fg-description-line-clamp: 0;\" >\n\t<div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norske_landsdeler_H.png\" data-caption-title=\"The five regions of Norway\" data-attachment-id=\"137\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"The five regions of Norway\" height=\"300\" width=\"249\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2021\/05\/Norske_landsdeler_H\/3993850076.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22249%22%20height%3D%22300%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20249%20300%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">The five regions of Norway<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-counties-pre-2017.png\" data-caption-title=\"Norwegian counties (fylker) pre 2017\" data-attachment-id=\"139\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Norwegian counties (fylker) pre 2017\" height=\"300\" width=\"284\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2021\/05\/Norway-counties-pre-2017\/1333784352.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22284%22%20height%3D%22300%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20284%20300%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Norwegian counties (fylker) pre 2017<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Norway-nye-fylker.png\" data-caption-title=\"The 11 counties (fylker) of Norway since 2017.\" data-attachment-id=\"135\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"The 11 counties (fylker) of Norway since 2017.\" height=\"300\" width=\"226\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2021\/05\/Norway-nye-fylker\/3479729626.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22226%22%20height%3D%22300%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20226%20300%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">The 11 counties (fylker) of Norway since 2017.<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A brief history of the farms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People have lived in Norway for at least 10,000 years. Archaeological remains dated to around 10,400 years ago have been found along the coast. Rock carvings from the Neolithic period show fishing, hunting and early farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Early farms appear to have been used for only a generation before being abandoned. From around 200 CE, settlements show continuity over several generations. Between 500 and 700 CE there is little archaeological evidence, possibly due to the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Extreme_weather_events_of_535%E2%80%93536\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc\" title=\"\">volcanic eruption<\/a> of 535\u2013536, which caused years of poor sunlight and agricultural decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After this period, farms became concentrated in fewer places, with greater emphasis on animal husbandry. In some areas, the outlines of Viking\u2011age farm structures (800\u20131050 CE) can still be seen. Paradoxically, good arable land was sometimes converted to pasture, while marginal land was cultivated. This suggests the emergence of an elite class who owned land they did not farm themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is archaeological evidence of settlements during this period on many of the farms where my family later lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vestland (Hordaland)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My father\u2019s family came from various parts of the old county of <strong>Hordaland<\/strong>, which, together with Sogn og Fjordane, now forms <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vestland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vestland<\/a>. They lived in the areas of <a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/locations\/ulvik-herad-2\/\" title=\"Ulvik Herad\">Ulvik<\/a>, Kinsarvik, Voss, Tysnes and Kvinnherad. Historically, the parish of Kinsarvik covered almost all of present\u2011day Ullensvang and part of Voss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:31% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Hordaland_Municipalities.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"657\" height=\"623\" src=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Hordaland_Municipalities.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-307 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Hordaland_Municipalities.png 657w, https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Hordaland_Municipalities-300x284.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 657px) 100vw, 657px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h3>Hordaland Municipalities<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">1 Ask\u00f8y, 2 Austevoll, 3 Austrheim, 4 Bergen, 5 B\u00f8mlo, 6 Eidfjord, 7 Etne, 8\u00a0Fedje, 9 Fitjar, 10 Fjell, 11 Fusa, 12\u00a0Granvin, 13\u00a0Jondal, 14\u00a0Kvam, 15\u00a0Kvinnherad, 16\u00a0Lind\u00e5s, 17 Masfjorden, 18\u00a0Meland, 19\u00a0Modalen, 20\u00a0Odda, 21\u00a0Os, 22\u00a0Oster\u00f8y, 23\u00a0\u00d8ygarden, 24\u00a0Rad\u00f8y, 25\u00a0Samnanger, 26\u00a0Stord, 27\u00a0Sund, 28\u00a0Sveio, 29\u00a0Tysnes, 30\u00a0Ullensvang, 31\u00a0<a title=\"Ulvik Herad\" href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/locations\/ulvik-herad-2\/\">Ulvik<\/a>, 32\u00a0Vaksdal, 33\u00a0Voss<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location resources <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arkivverket.no\/slektsgranskning\/historikk-for-prestegjeld-og-sogn\/prestegjeld-og-sogn-i-hordaland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Parishes in Hordaland<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.genealogi.no\/wiki\/index.php\/Liste_over_digitaliserte_bygdeb%C3%B8ker_%E2%80%93_Hordaland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">List of digitalised farm books for Hordaland <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.familysearch.org\/wiki\/en\/Kvinnherad_Parish,_Hordaland,_Norway_Genealogy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kvinnherad Parish, Hordaland, Norway<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vosselag.org\/farmsnumerical.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"List of farms in Voss Area\">Farm names and numbers for farms in the Voss area<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00d8stlandet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My mother\u2019s side of the family was more spread out. They came mainly from the former counties of <strong>Oppland, Akershus, Buskerud and Vestfold<\/strong>. I will add more information about these areas as I work through the family story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<style class=\"advgb-styles-renderer\">\n#foogallery-gallery-142.fg-justified .fg-item { margin-right: 2px; margin-bottom: 2px; }\n#foogallery-gallery-142.fg-justified .fg-image { height: 200px; }<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most of my family originates from Norway, and I was born there, so that is where I will start. Understanding where people lived has been essential in tracing my ancestors and in identifying the correct church records. Up until 1800, more than 90% of Norwegians lived on farms, and many of these farms are described &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/locations\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Locations \u2014 from Norway and beyond&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-location","hfeed"],"aioseo_notices":[],"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/author\/kirsten-osa\/","display_name":"kirsten.osa"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 years ago","modified":"Updated 4 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 16, 2021","modified":"Updated on February 4, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 16, 2021 9:47 am","modified":"Updated on February 4, 2026 8:36 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1465,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28\/revisions\/1465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roots.osa-clan.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}