Vigseldatum

Vigseldatum is a term used in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish contexts to denote the date on which a marriage ceremony (vigsel) took place. The word combines vigsel, meaning the wedding ceremony, with datum, meaning date. It is commonly encountered in civil and church records and is often treated as the official date of marriage in genealogical and administrative sources.

In many jurisdictions, the vigseldatum appears on documents such as marriage certificates, parish books, and population or civil registers. Depending on local law, the ceremony date and the date when a marriage is legally registered may be the same or different; some records list both dates or note a registration date separately from the ceremony date. The vigseldatum thus serves as a key reference point for determining when a marriage began in the civil status record.

Usage and interpretation vary by country and record type. In genealogical research, vigseldatum helps anchor family timelines and confirm relationships, but researchers may need to consult multiple sources (church records, civil registries, and certificates) to confirm the exact date, especially if notices, pre-ceremony events, or delayed registrations are involved. The exact terminology and forms of the date can differ across languages and jurisdictions, with close variations such as vigselsdato or vigselsdato in neighboring traditions.

In summary, vigseldatum designates the wedding ceremony date as recorded in official documents and is a essential datum for tracing marital status in Nordic genealogical and civil records.