Get a start on your Swedish family history with Your Swedish Roots, a step-by-step handbook to help guide you in researching your Swedish ancestors. First, learn general information about Sweden, Swedish naming practices, and the Swedish language. These basics will help you research names of ancestors and search through Swedish records with greater ease. Next, learn what Swedish records are available, where to find them, and how to use them. Swedish church records will be one of the most value to you, as they are very complete and well preserved. Finally, follow sample cases on particular Swedish families to learn helpful research steps for your own family history. As you learn about your Swedish ancestry, you will experience the rewarding feelings that come from seeking out and discovering your ancestors.

Genealogists researching their Swedish ancestors are fortunate to have an abundance of information-rich and accessible genealogical records. The Swedish church and state were meticulous record keepers and Sweden had little record loss compared to many other European countries. The gem of Sweden's great genealogical records is the husförhörslängder (Swedish household examination records), a sort of yearly census that can include just about any type of information on your ancestor beyond merely birth, marriage and death information. Entries may provide you with information on property ownership, occupation, moving in and out, health, taxation, military obligations, characteristics and behavior and much more. And many of these entries are a clues pointing you to additional documentation. While much of the information in the household examination records is straightforward and easy to understand, some entries can be confusing. Abbreviations are common, language can be difficult to understand, and without knowing what you are looking at you can miss important clues in your research.This book aims to provide researchers with additional background information in order to get the most out of your research. While many researchers focus only on the main demographic information that is standard, clues in the household examination records can be used to frame a solution to many of your most difficult brick-wall problems.