Manntallet

Manntallet, meaning the “man-count,” is the term used for historical population registers kept in the Danish-Norwegian realm from the early modern period into the 19th century. These registers were official records maintained by state and local authorities to assist taxation, military conscription, and administration. The scope and level of detail varied over time and by region, but they generally enumerated households and individuals within a parish or district.

Typical content and structure

Manntaller commonly listed the name of the household head and all residents, along with relationships within the household. They often included age or age groups, gender, occupation or status, place of residence, and, in some versions, information about farm size, property, or taxation status. In many cases the registers were linked to tax assessments or military obligations, making them practical tools for governance as well as demographic documentation. The records were usually organized by parish or local jurisdiction, reflecting the administrative geography of the time.

Historical significance

The mantaller are important primary sources for genealogists and historians. They provide a snapshot of population, family structure, and settlement patterns before modern censuses. The best-known mantaller date from the 17th to 19th centuries and include late medieval to early modern population data for large parts of Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the 1801 mantall is particularly prominent, but earlier mantaller also exist and have been preserved in national and regional archives. Many mantaller have been digitized and are accessible through archives and online portals such as Digitalarkivet, aiding research into family history and demographic history.

Limitations and interpretation

Because the content and scope of manntallet varied across years and places, researchers must consider differences in recording practices, parish boundaries, and data completeness when using these sources for analysis.