How many of you that follow this blog have Norwegian ancestors?  Of those who answered yes, how many of you know their names or where in Norway they are from?  If you do, that’s awesome and this means that someone has taken the time to do the research that you can benefit from it.  If you don’t, you can find answers to your questions!

In my family, it’s my father who has done a significant amount of family history research over the years.  He bought a software program that creates a family tree with basic information such as names, relationships, dates of birth, children, etc.  In addition to software programs available for purchase, there are online sites that you can find to help you create your family history tree.  The Norwegian American Genealogical Society & Naeseth Library (which incorporates the Vesterheim Genealogical Center) in Madison, WI is one place that you can visit (either in person or online) for a marginal fee to research family history.  If you cannot be there, you can fill out a request form for a research question and you will receive a response from an expert researcher with the anticipated timeline and charges.  Visit www.nagcnl.org to find further information about the NAGCL and the services they can offer you.

NAHA, the Norwegian American Historical Association, located at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN is another excellent source of genealogical information.  NAHA welcomes email or letter inquiries, as well as on-site visits, also for marginal fees.  While little has been done to obtain thorough information such as that obtained from the U.S. census records and U.S. church congregation records, NAHA offers a vast array of diaries, letters, newspapers, journals, family histories, and photographs.  Visit the website for further information and to make arrangements for a visit: www.naha.stolaf.edu.

To equip those of you on the west coast with a source to whet your palette for Norwegian genealogical research, I recommend paying a visit to the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, WA.  Consult www.nordicmuseum.org to find out when adult education classes concerning Nordic geneaology are held.

I have not gotten as far into family history research as my dad has, but I think someday I will be more interested in all of the relationships and pick up where he leaves off.  I have, however, picked very specific projects to work on that involves my family history.  For example, I read and translated the diary that my great-grandfather wrote shortly after he immigrated to Norway from the U.S.  And I interviewed my grandfather about what it was like to be a second-generation Norwegian-American in the 20th century.

If you’re not already interested in family history, I bet with a little nudge and an interesting story, you’d delve into something.  It’s fun to find out what people in your bloodline before you did with their lives.