Uppgifta

Uppgifta is a Swedish verb meaning to arrange or cause someone to marry, typically to marry off a person (often a daughter) by a guardian or family. The term is closely related to the act of betrothing or arranging a marriage for someone rather than the voluntary decision of the individuals involved.

Historically, uppgifta appears in legal, ecclesiastical, and genealogical records to describe arrangements made by families, guardians, or communities. In many periods and places, marriages were important social and political tools, used to secure alliances, dowries, or social status. The practice and its documentation varied by region and era, and discussions around uppgifta often reflect broader norms about guardianship, consent, and agency in marriage.

In contemporary Swedish, uppgifta is largely obsolete and is rarely used in everyday language. The more common expression for arranging a marriage is gifta bort, or simply gifta for the act of marrying. When encountered, uppgifta typically appears in historical narratives, archival documents, or scholarly discussions about past customs and family practices.

See also: gifta, äktenskap, betrothal, förmyndarskap.