kirkonkirjat
Kirkonkirjat are parish registers kept by Lutheran church communities in Finland. They have historically served as the main record of vital events and population movements within a parish, encompassing areas that were under Swedish rule before 1809 and later under Finnish administration. The term is commonly used to describe the bundled records kept by each parish, including both church events and related household lists.
Contents and structure often include baptisms and confirmations, marriages, and deaths or burials, together with notes
Timeframe and usage. Kirkonkirjat cover several centuries, with systematic recording intensifying from the 17th to 19th
Access and preservation. Records are preserved at church archives and regional or national archives. Many kirkonkirjat