Where We're From – Norway

To everyone who follows this blog—sorry there have been no postings of late. Things have been kind of difficult for me, and this posting in particular was giving me a rough time. It's all sorted now, though, so hopefully I'm back on track.


Unlike my Irish roots, which I had little information on, the Norwegian lines is one of the best-mapped in my family tree. My grandfather even went so far as to do a bit of research on the German town our name comes from. For the direct line, we can trace back to Germany, but most of the family we know of lived in Norway for many generations. Four generations of the direct line were born there, as well as many Norwegian roots on the female lines on the tree (and a few more German).

Because this line is so well-mapped, I have a good deal of documentation, though I have yet to get through all of it. But it does mean I have more of the stories surrounding the lives of my Norwegian family than many of the others I have already posted.

There actually is more than this, but I have yet to prove that branch for certain, and it gets very murky after a few generations, so I have left it off this list. If, at some point, I ever do confirm some of those connections, I will probably redo this map, but as it is, it's still one of the larger ones I have.


A map of the locations (and do check back at the old maps—I've updated them all to embed them in the entries now):

View My Norwegian Roots in a larger map

1. Oslo
Though my line of the family had left Norway by the time she moved here, this is my most recent connection to Norway. My great-great grandmother, Kaja (Angell) Bordewick moved here. I think she may have done so after her husband's death, though I have nothing at this time to confirm that.

2. Lofoten Islands
Many generations of my grandfather's family were born here, the most recent of which in our direct line was my great-grandfather, Bjarne Bordewick. His family's travels from Norway to Vancouver, B.C, Canada can be read here.

His grandfather, Johan Petter, settled there as a young man and took a job with a man who ran a thriving business in the area. When the man was forced to move on, Johan took over his business, and became quite prosperous. At least three generations of his line after him were born there.

2. Henningsvær, Nordland
This is where my great-great grandfather, Henrick Bergthon Bordewick was born, and where his mother in law, Henrikke (Roness) Bordewich died.

3. Lyngvær, Nordland
This is where Johan Petter Bordewich, his first wife, and his mother all died.

4. Vågan, Nordland
Johan Petter and his second wife married here, as did his son, Hans Henrik and his wife Kaja. Hans Henrik was born here in 1834.

5. Grane, Helgeland
This is where my great-great grandmother Kaja Bordewick was born.

6. Vikholmen
I believe this is where Hans Henrich, the father of Johan Petter, shipwrecked in 1815. He and his men made it to shore, but froze to death awaiting rescue.

7. Bergen
This is where my great-great-great grandmother's mother and grandmother were born, and where both her grandparents died.

8. Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag
This is where most of Johan Petter's mother's family was from for many generations before her.


And that's all I have at the moment, though as I said, I do have a few that I'm currently looking into.

As always, if any of my family reading this knows more about this branch, particularly if you have any records or documentation, I'd love to get together to exchange info.

Next up: Waystations (ie, those places my family lived for a time, but never fully settled in.)