Födokälla

Födokälla is a Swedish term used in genealogical practice to denote the source that substantiates a person’s birth information, such as birth date and birth place. The födokälla serves as the reference point from which birth facts are drawn and is essential for verifying accuracy and for transparent recording of lineage.

In practice, födokälla can be primary or secondary. Primary sources include parish birth registers and baptismal records (kyrkoböcker), civil birth certificates or birth registries maintained by state authorities, and, in some periods, household examination rolls that list individuals along with their year of birth. Secondary sources include later genealogical compilations, family records, or summaries created from primary sources.

Citation and use: When recording a födokälla, researchers typically note the source title, repository, location, year, and a specific reference (such as a page or entry number). If several sources exist, the most direct primary source is preferred, with secondary sources cited as corroboration.

Reliability and limitations: Birth information can vary in reliability depending on the source; church records can be incomplete or damaged; civil records may have delays; transcription errors can occur. Cross-checking with multiple födokällor strengthens validation.

In modern genealogical databases, födokälla fields help users assess provenance and perform source-critical evaluation of birth data. See also källkritik and genealogical citation practices.