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Sweden Project - Correct Location Names

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The purpose of this page is to give examples of acceptable spellings (and Swedish grammar) of Swedish locations often used in location fields, mainly those of counties and provinces.

If a county/län, or a province, is misspelled in the location field for a birth, marriage or death it will most likely generate a DataBase Error/Suggestion that will need to be handled. This page was created as an aid on how to spell these locations correctly.

Please note that a county without the addition of the word "län" is still allowed in the location fields for Swedish profiles. There are simply too many location entries to edit if locations on that "level" were made into a DataBase Error/Suggestion. However, that does not mean that we can't strive to be correct and add the word län (when appropriate) while working on profiles for other reasons.

Contents

Swedish Counties

WikiTree says we should "use their convention instead of ours" so we should use the Swedish word for county in the location fields, and not the English one. Counties in Swedish are called län, spelled with a lowercase L (not a capital i).

Some counties were given the same name as the province, which will of course make it harder to tell them apart. It is therefore encouraged by the Sweden Project to include the word "län" in the location fields, or anywhere else, in order to clarify what is meant and not add to the confusion. Note that some counties and provinces with the same name do not necessarily cover the same geographical area.

These are the correct spellings of the counties and provinces:

Blekinge county - Blekinge län

  • Blekinge län, Sverige
  • Blekinge län (K), Sverige
  • Blekinge län, Sweden
  • Blekinge, Sverige
  • Blekinge, Sweden
Start date: 1683, still used today
Geographically identical with Blekinge province

Dalarna county - Dalarnas län

Dalarnas län ONLY to be used 1997-01-01 and onwards (before that the name was Kopparbergs län, it was more a name change than a geographical change, same county letter used for both old and new)

  • Dalarnas län, Sverige
  • Dalarnas län (W), Sverige
  • Dalarnas län, Sweden
  • Dalarna, Sverige
  • Dalarna, Sweden
If just adding "Dalarna, Sverige" or "Dalarna, Sweden" one might assume you are mening the province/landskap named Dalarna and not the county/län.

Gotland county - Gotlands län

  • Gotlands län, Sverige
  • Gotlands län (I), Sverige
  • Gotlands län, Sweden
  • Gotland, Sweden
  • Gotland, Sverige
Start date: 1645, still used today
Geographically identical with Gotland province

Gävleborg county - Gävleborgs län

  • Gävleborgs län, Sverige
  • Gävleborgs län (X), Sverige
  • Gävleborgs län, Sweden
  • Gävleborg, Sverige
  • Gävleborg, Sweden
Start date: 1762-06-29
No province with the same name

Göteborg and Bohus county - Göteborgs och Bohus län

Should category name be edited? Gothenburg to Göteborg....

  • Göteborgs och Bohus län, Sverige
  • Göteborgs och Bohus län (O), Sverige
  • Göteborgs och Bohus län, Sweden

Start date: 1700, End date: 1997-12-31 (1680-1700 called Bohus län)


Halland county - Hallands län

  • Hallands län, Sverige
  • Hallands län (N), Sverige
  • Hallands län, Sweden
  • Halland, Sverige
  • Halland, Sweden
Start date: 1658
County and province covered the same geographical area until 1970

Jämtland county - Jämtlands län

  • Jämtlands län, Sverige
  • Jämtlands län (Z), Sverige
  • Jämtlands län, Sweden
  • Jämtland, Sverige
  • Jämtland, Sweden
Start date: 1810 (before that part of Västernorrlands län)
If just adding "Jämtland, Sverige" or "Jämtland, Sweden" one might assume you are mening the province/landskap named Jämtland and not the county/län.

Jönköping county - Jönköpings län

  • Jönköpings län, Sverige
  • Jönköpings län (F), Sverige
  • Jönköpings län, Sweden
  • Jönköping, Sverige
  • Jönköping, Sweden
Start date: 1687, still used today
No province with the same name

Kalmar county - Kalmar län

  • Kalmar län, Sverige
  • Kalmar län (H), Sverige
  • Kalmar län, Sweden
  • Kalmar, Sverige
  • Kalmar, Sweden
Start date: 1634, still used today
No province with the same name

Kopparberg county - Kopparbergs län

  • Kopparbergs län, Sverige
  • Kopparbergs län (W), Sverige
  • Kopparbergs län, Sweden
  • Kopparberg, Sverige
  • Kopparberg, Sweden
Start date: 1647 End date: 1996-12-31 Renamed Dalarnas län, see above.
No province with the same name

Kristianstad county - Kristianstads län

  • Kristianstads län, Sverige
  • Kristianstads län (L), Sverige
  • Kristianstads län, Sweden
  • Kristianstad, Sverige
  • Kristianstad, Sweden
Start date: 1658, End date: 1996-12-31
No province with the same name

Kronoberg county - Kronobergs län

  • Kronobergs län, Sverige
  • Kronobergs län (G), Sverige
  • Kronobergs län, Sweden
  • Kronoberg, Sverige
  • Kronoberg, Sweden
Existed as a county of its own 1639-1654, 1687– until today
No province with the same name

Malmöhus county - Malmöhus län

  • Malmöhus län, Sverige
  • Malmöhus län (M), Sverige
  • Malmöhus län, Sweden
  • Malmöhus, Sverige
  • Malmöhus, Sweden
Start date: 1669, End date: 1996-12-31
No province with the same name

Norrbotten county - Norrbottens län

  • Norrbottens län, Sverige
  • Norrbottens län (BD), Sverige
  • Norrbottens län, Sweden
  • Norrbotten, Sverige
  • Norrbotten, Sweden
Start date: 1810, still used today
If just adding "Norrbotten, Sverige" or "Norrbotten, Sweden" one might assume you are mening the province/landskap named Norrbotten and not the county/län.

Skaraborg county - Skaraborgs län

  • Skaraborgs län, Sverige
  • Skaraborgs län (R), Sverige
  • Skaraborgs län, Sweden
Start date: 1634, End date: 1997-12-31
No province with the same name

Skåne county - Skåne län

Skåne län ONLY to be used 1997-01-01 and onwards.

  • Skåne län, Sverige
  • Skåne län (M), Sverige
  • Skåne län, Sweden
  • Skåne, Sverige
  • Skåne, Sweden
If just adding "Skåne, Sverige" or "Skåne, Sweden" one might assume you are mening the province/landskap named Skåne and not the modern county/län.

Södermanland county - Södermanlands län

  • Södermanlands län, Sverige
  • Södermanlands län (D), Sverige
  • Södermanlands län, Sweden
  • Södermanland, Sverige
  • Södermanland, Sweden
Start date: 1634
County and province covered the same geographical area

Stockholm county - Stockholms län

  • Stockholm, Sweden
  • Stockholm, Sverige
  • Stockholms län, Sweden
  • Stockholms län, Sverige
  • Stockholms län (AB), Sverige

Also needed - note difference of Stockholms län and stad...
Both Stockholm and Uppsala was during some periods part of Upplands county, then separated into its own counties and then joined again. And when it finally was divided for good in 1714, the city of Stockholm was not part of the county Stockholm.

Uppsala county - Uppsala län

  • Uppsala län, Sverige
  • Uppsala län (C), Sverige
  • Uppsala län, Sweden
  • Uppsala, Sverige
  • Uppsala, Sweden
Was a county of its own 1641-1648, 1653-1654, 1714–today
No province with the same name

Värmland county - Värmlands län

  • Värmlands län, Sverige
  • Värmlands län (S), Sverige
  • Värmlands län, Sweden
  • Värmland, Sverige
  • Värmland, Sweden
Was a county of its own 1639-1654, 1779–today
Geographical area of Värmland county/län almost, but not exactly, identical with Värmland province/landskap.
If just adding "Värmland, Sverige" or "Värmland, Sweden" one might assume you are meaning the province/landskap named Värmland and not the county/län.

Västerbotten county - Västerbottens län

  • Västerbottens län, Sverige
  • Västerbottens län (AC), Sverige
  • Västerbottens län, Sweden
  • Västerbotten, Sverige
  • Västerbotten, Sweden
Start date: 1638
Västerbotten county/län covers a larger geographical area than the province/landskap with the same name.
If just adding "Värmland, Sverige" or "Värmland, Sweden" one might assume you are meaning the province/landskap named Värmland and not the county/län.

Västernorrland county - Västernorrlands län

  • Västernorrlands län, Sverige
  • Västernorrlands län (Y), Sverige
  • Västernorrlands län, Sweden
  • Västernorrland, Sverige
  • Västernorrland, Sweden
Start date:1634
No province with the same name

Västmanland county - Västmanlands län

  • Västmanlands län, Sverige
  • Västmanlands län (U), Sverige
  • Västmanlands län, Sweden
  • Västmanland, Sverige
  • Västmanland, Sweden
Start date: 1634
The area covered by Västmanland county/län is not the same geographical area covered by Västmanland province/landskap.
If just adding "Västmanland, Sverige" or "Västmanland, Sweden" one might assume you are meaning the province/landskap named Västmanland and not the county/län.

Västra Götaland county - Västra Götalands län

Västra Götalands län should ONLY to be used 1998-01-01 and onwards

  • Västra Götalands län, Sverige
  • Västra Götalands län (O), Sverige
  • Västra Götalands län, Sweden
Start date: 1998-01-01
No province with the same name. However, the name of the province is Västergötland which is similar and may be easy to mix up.

Älvsborg county - Älvsborgs län

  • Älvsborgs län, Sverige
  • Älvsborgs län (P), Sverige
  • Älvsborgs län, Sweden
Start date: 1634, End date: 1997-12-31
No province with the same name

Örebro county - Örebro län

  • Örebro län, Sverige
  • Örebro län (T), Sverige
  • Örebro län, Sweden
  • Örebro, Sverige
  • Örebro, Sweden
Existed 1639-1654 and again from 1779 until today
No province with the same name

Östergötland county - Östergötlands län

  • Östergötlands län, Sverige
  • Östergötlands län (E), Sverige
  • Östergötlands län, Sweden
  • Östergötland, Sverige
  • Östergötland, Sweden
Start date: 1634
The area covered by Östergötland county/län is larger than the geographical area covered by Östergötland province/landskap.
If just adding "Östergötland, Sverige" or "Östergötland, Sweden" one might assume you are meaning the province/landskap named Östergötland and not the county/län.


Swedish Provinces

Provinces are in Swedish called landskap. Many of them existed before the division into counties (as we know them today) in the mid 1600's and is perhaps most often used in location fields before there were any counties. Some counties were given the same name as the province, which will of course make it harder to tell them apart.

Blekinge Province / Landskap

  • Blekinge, Sverige
  • Blekinge, Sweden
Geographically identical with Blekinge county/län

Bohuslän Province / Landskap

  • Bohuslän, Sverige
  • Bohuslän, Sweden

Dalarna Province / Landskap

  • Dalarna, Sverige
  • Dalarna, Sweden
(Dalecarlia in English, please use Swedish Dalarna in location fields.)

Dalsland Province / Landskap

  • Dalsland, Sverige
  • Dalsland, Sweden

Gotland Province / Landskap

  • Gotland, Sverige
  • Gotland, Sweden
Geographically identical with Gotland county/län

Gästrikland Province / Landskap

  • Gästrikland, Sverige
  • Gästrikland, Sweden

Halland Province / Landskap

  • Halland, Sverige
  • Halland, Sweden
County and province covered the same geographical area until 1970

Hälsingland Province / Landskap

  • Hälsingland, Sverige
  • Hälsingland, Sweden

Härjedalen Province / Landskap

  • Härjedalen, Sverige
  • Härjedalen, Sweden
The province originally belonged to Trøndelagen in Norway but was ceded to Sweden in the Treaty of Brömsebro, 1645.

Jämtland Province / Landskap

  • Jämtland, Sverige
  • Jämtland, Sweden

Lappland Province / Landskap

  • Lappland, Sverige
  • Lappland, Sweden

Landskapet bildades 1766 sedan den så kallade lappmarksgränsen uppdragits år 1752 (det hade dock funnits ett landskapsvapen sedan slutet av 1500-talet). En del av ursprungliga Lappland att hamna i Finland efter freden i Fredrikshamn år 1809, det utgör nu det finska landskapet Lappi.

Medelpad Province / Landskap

  • Medelpad, Sverige
  • Medelpad, Sweden

Norrbotten Province / Landskap

  • Norrbotten, Sverige
  • Norrbotten, Sweden

Närke Province / Landskap

  • Närke, Sverige
  • Närke, Sweden

Skåne Province / Landskap

  • Skåne, Sverige
  • Skåne, Sweden
(Scania in English, please use Swedish Skåne in location fields.)

Småland Province / Landskap

  • Småland, Sverige
  • Småland, Sweden

Södermanland Province / Landskap

  • Södermanland, Sverige
  • Södermanland, Sweden
Södermanland län/county and Södermanland landskap/province cover the same geographical area

Uppland Province / Landskap

  • Uppland, Sverige
  • Uppland, Sweden

Värmland Province / Landskap

  • Värmland, Sverige
  • Värmland, Sweden

Västerbotten Province / Landskap

  • Västerbotten, Sverige
  • Västerbottem, Sweden

Västergötland Province / Landskap

  • Västergötland, Sverige
  • Västergötland, Sweden

Västmanland Province / Landskap

  • Västmanland, Sverige
  • Västmanland, Sweden

Ångermanland Province / Landskap

  • Ångermanland, Sverige
  • Ångermanland, Sweden

Öland Province / Landskap

  • Öland, Sverige
  • Öland, Sweden

Östergötland Province / Landskap

  • Östergötland, Sverige
  • Östergötland, Sweden


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Modén-31 Per Erik Modén
I noticed a mistake in the descriptions of Södermanland:

Both the county text and province text claim that the county and the province cover the same geographical area, which is incorrect. The eastern part of the province is instead part of Stockholm county

This should be corrected.

posted by Per Erik Modén
Dalroth-3 Helena Dalroth
I am mainly using län/county-system and have a question:

When going pre-1700 (before the start date of most of the counties mentioned above) - is it recommended to regard the county starting dates above as a breakpoint to change to the lanskap/province-system or is it better to use even older county-names (e g "Härnösands län" 1646-54) even though they are less known and often shortlived?

Can we have the text above updated with recommendations on this issue?

posted by Helena Dalroth