Denmark: Thorkel Hansen

[queenie3]

My ancestor Thorkel Hansen immigrated to New Zealand about 1875 from Jels,North Schlweg in what was Germany but is probably Denmark now.
I am trying to get his birth details - I think his year of birth was either 1846 or 1847.
His mothers name was Marian [?] and his father Hans Thorkilsen.
Any help would be greatly appreciated as the distance between New Zealand where I am and Denmark makes investigating family history a bit difficult.
Many thanks in hope that a kind soul may be able to help me.

[jorose]

In the old censuses etc. you'll find Jels parish in Gram district, Haderslev county.

http://www.ddd.dda.dk/dddform_uk.asp
 - there's a Hans Terkelsen there in 1845 (aged 40), with a wife Mette Marie Olling and three children who use the surname Skyt(t).

http://www.arkivalieronline.dk/English/default.aspx
 - you will find his baptism here in Jels. If you select the 1826-1856 records:
after signing up
Søg i kirkebøger "search in church registers"
Amt: Haderslev
Herred: Gram
Sogn: Jels

Opslag (page?) 136 in the 1826-1856 book, last record. Think it says b. 22 Jun (1846), chrs. 26 July
Torkel Hansen Skytt, legitimate son of Hans Torkelsen and Mette Marie Olling, Gronnebeks.
There are three witnesses/sponsors, I think the second is "Jans Olling" who might be the grandfather or an uncle.

[queenie3]

Thank you very much Jorose.
I tried to annexe the archive records from the link you provided but the language didn't default to English and I am hoping that I have filled in the appropriate information for registration.
Out of curiosity - why would the children of Hans Torkilson have a completely unrelated surname - Skytt?
I don't understand the naming customs of Denmark.
Again thanks very much and I will persevere with registration in order to get other information.

[garstonite]

That`s very impressive Jorose....would you by any chance be adept in Heligoland babtisms....please say yes...lol  allan
(just in case...Carl Freidrich Sacht b 1846 Heligoland.... Heligoland was British at the time..off the coast of Denmark but .is now German )

[jorose]

Sorry, Garston, I don't think any Heligoland records are on the Danish archive site.

For Queenie:
http://dgmweb.net/Ancillary/OnE/Patronymics.shtml

In 1526, surnames became mandatory in Denmark only for the nobility.  In 1771, surnames became mandatory in Slesvig-Holsten.  In 1828, surnames became mandatory throughout Denmark, but the law was largely ignored.  Then, in 1856, the legal mandate to use a surname was strengthened forcing the holdouts to give in and finally adopt a surname, making Danes among the last in Europe to adopt surnames.

Probably the kids would all be called (firstname) Hansen/Hansdatter Skytt.

In the 1834 census I think they're in Haderslev, Frøs, Skodborg
Hans Terkelsen, 33, Mette Marie, his wife, and a Laus Aalling ("Olling"?)

Still there in 1840, Hans Therkildsen, 36, Mette Matia Allum, and two kids (using Therkildsen as a surname).

The marriage will presumably be found in Skodborg (or possibly Jels)
I found the instructions in English (although the main site has to be used in Danish, I think):
http://utilis.dk/ressourcer/ao_english_instructions.pdf

[jorose]

Adding:

found the marriage in Skodborg (1819-1850 records, Opslag 331)
4 July 1833
Hans Terkelsen, legitimate son of afd. (think this is short for afdød, deceased) Terkel Paulsen and afd. Kjesten Chrestensdatter, from E?rup Mark (?? not sure on place name, maybe Ejstrup?) and
Mette Maria Olling, legitimate daughter of (can't read occupation) Jotham Olling and Anna, born Møller of Over Jels ("Upper" Jels)
groom (?? - think "vaccinated" - smallpox vaccination dates were often recorded) - "Hansen i Ribe", 30 Nov 1813
bride "S?huma*her", 30 August 1814.

Looking at www.familysearch.org I think that Hans parents are the couple who married in "Malt, Ribe" in 1804.
In the Danish censuses there is a Terkel Poulsen residing at  Estrupgård in Malt in 1801, aged 35, unmarried.

[queenie3]

Thank you very much for this information. I manage to get very confused with the language and the many and varied versions of last names so your help in this regard is very appreciated.
Could you tell me please what are the names of the children listed in the 1840 census? These would be the brothers or sisters of my ancestor Thorkil Hansen - as he wasn't born until 1846-  and I am curious to see whether he named any of his own five children after his siblings. He did name one of his daughters after his mother Mette Marie - so perhaps that is a custom?

[jorose]

Hi Queenie,

If you look here, you can get the census record database in English (although the answers returned are in Danish);
http://www.ddd.dda.dk/dddform_uk.asp

for 1840, choose "county" (or "amt") "Haderslev", and put Hans Therkildsen in as the name. Then select "show household" to see everyone.
the children shown in 1840 are Hans (obviously after his father), and Jockum (presumably after Mette's father)
for 1845, the same but "Hans Terkelsen" is the name (you can narrow it down by specifying the census year towards the bottom of the search form)
the children shown in 1845 are Hans, Jochum, and Andreas

[queenie3]

Thank you very much Jorose.
I had tried to annexe this link but unfortunately I can't find any information. I asked a friend who is more computer literate than I am to see if they could succeed where I have failed but they couldn't either.At no time in any requests for information using the handy hints that you gave me have we been able to find anyone called Hans Terkelson, Hans Thorkildsen, Hans Thorkelsen or any other variants of the name in any census year.
Strange...and frustrating as well.I am not sure what the problem is.
But you have helped a lot and I am very grateful.
At least I know of three siblings of Thorkel - it is more information than I have had previously!