Tracing Swedish roots - Swedish American Ancestors

Best DNA Companies for Swedish American Genealogy

Anna — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 05:00:24 +0000

DNA Companies for Swedish American Genealogy

A range of companies offer DNA testing for those researching their family trees. Which are the best DNA testing companies for Swedish American genealogy? Below are my thoughts on things to consider.

Ps: The above image is AI generated.

Researching Ancestry Up To 5 to 7 Generations

Ancestry.com

Autosomal DNA testing is the best starting point for those researching ancestors from approximately three to four generations ago, and it can even provide up to seven generations back. Several companies offer such tests, but one stands out – Ancestry.com. It has the largest database of DNA-tested individuals worldwide and the most Swedish Americans in its database.

This significantly increases your chances of finding Swedish American DNA matches if you test with them. Ancestry also provides a suite of tools to facilitate DNA matching between the tested individuals. The enhanced shared matches tool is one of them and it allows you to see how much DNA your matches share and their predicted relationships with each other.

MyHeritage.com

Despite these advantages, Ancestry.com may not be the best company for every ancestry research focus. MyHeritage.com has a large number of Swedish test takers in their database – many of whom you may not find on Ancestry. Testing with MyHeritage could therefore be a valuable choice.

However, MyHeritage allows you to upload DNA test results from other companies, while Ancestry does not. Therefore, you may choose to test with Ancestry and then upload your results to MyHeritage. This way, you can search for DNA matches in both databases while only paying for one test. My Heritage also offers excellent research tools, including triangulation that helps identify common ancestors by analyzing DNA segments shared among matches.

FamilyTreeDNA.com

FamilyTreeDNA is a third company that offers autosomal DNA testing that I use in my Swedish American genealogy research. Like MyHeritage, they allow users to upload DNA results from other companies to their site. A unique feature of FamilyTreeDNA is that they display the X-chromosome for your DNA matches.

The the X-chromosome is inherited in a specific pattern from mother to child, and can provide valuable insights into DNA connections (but more on that in a future blog). The X-chromosome is included in autosomal testing but Ancestry and MyHeritage do not show those results or matches. In addition, FamilyTreeDNA offers Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing, which can help verify paternal or maternal lines in your family tree (more on that below).

While other companies also provide Autosomal DNA testing services, these are the three I use most frequently, so I will leave it at that for now.

Researching Beyond and Verifying Up To 5 to 7 Generations

If you are looking to take your Swedish American genealogy research beyond autosomal DNA, FamilyTreeDNA.com offers both Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. These tests enable researchers to verify and trace direct paternal and maternal lines. This makes it possible to extend research well beyond seven generations and even reach back to Viking times and beyond.

This is possible because the Y-chromosome is passed down from father to son almost completely unchanged over long periods. mtDNA is passed down from mothers to their children and mutates even more infrequently. In contrast, autosomal DNA is recombined and about halved with each generation.

Unlock Your Ancestry

Y-DNA and mtDNA testing do not provide the breadth of cousin matches that autosomal DNA testing does. However, they offer a good way to confirm lineage with certainty. They can help bridge the gap between biological ancestry and historical documents, where documentation most often is incomplete or completely lacking.

Other companies also offer Y-DNA and mtDNA testing, but FamilyTreeDNA is the one I am most familiar with, so I will leave it at that for now.

Photo taken by Anna Schnell at the Gamla Uppsala museum, Sweden, of items from the Vendel time period that preceded the Vikings.

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna

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Best DNA Test for Swedish Americans

Anna — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:28 +0000

Best DNA Tests for Swedish Americans

What is the best DNA tests for Swedish Americans? A DNA test might be the missing piece you need to fill gaps in your ancestry research. By combining traditional paper trail genealogy with DNA testing you may uncover previously unknown branches of your family tree.

Three Types of DNA Tests

Before choosing a DNA test, it is essential to know the three main types of tests available:

Autosomal DNA (atDNA)
Y-DNA
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

Each type of test serves a different purpose and is useful for various research goals. Below, we discuss their relevance to Swedish American genealogy

Autosomal DNA (atDNA)

Autosomal DNA testing is the most common and widely used type of DNA test, especially among those researching their Swedish American roots. It analyzes DNA inherited from both parents and is ideal for exploring ancestry within about 3 to 4 generations. It can also be helpful for tracing ancestors as far back as 5 to 7 generations, though at that range it becomes increasingly difficult to find distant cousins who share identifiable DNA segments – and thus a common ancestor – with you.

You may be fortunate if only one branch of your family emigrated from Sweden. With fewer ancestral lines to consider, it can be easier to identify family tree connections to Sweden. This is particularly valuable if you are working with a limited paper trail or incomplete family records, which is often the case for emigrant ancestors from the 19th or early 20th centuries. That said, the ease of discovering your Swedish roots depends on many more variables than just the number of branches leading back to Sweden. You may very well be lucky in other ways – such as having relatively close Swedish DNA-matches who have already done good work tracing your common ancestors.

Finding Very Distant Cousins Is Unlikely

If you are very lucky, you might find distant cousins with matching DNA from even a few more generations back than 7, but it is unlikely. The further back you go, the more distant and numerous the shared ancestors become, making it harder to pinpoint DNA connections. This is due to the way DNA is inherited, where individuals pass on approximately 50% of their DNA to their children. Additionally, there are typically few or no paper trails for ancestors that far back in time, unless your ancestor was a part of the royal family or nobility.

Y-DNA

The Y-DNA test can trace your paternal lineage (father’s father’s father’s…) over hundreds or even thousands of years. It focuses on the Y-chromosome, passed down from father to son and is therefore ideal for those looking to trace their paternal lineage over generations. Since the Y-DNA test can only be taken by males you either have to be a male to take it, or find a male to test that shares the line you would like to trace. For close matches – such as those with few or no mutations – the most recent common ancestor may be within 2–25 generations depending on which level of Y-DNA test you take.

One of the most powerful aspects of Y-DNA testing is its ability to trace surnames over generations. Do you know your emigrated Swedish ancestor’s surname on a paternal line you want to research? Y-DNA may help confirm if other people with that surname in America or Sweden are related to you. Y-DNA could therefore be a good test for Swedish Americans who want to fill a gap in their genealogy research.

Tracing Surnames May Not Be Useful

Despite what was said above, tracing surnames may be of little use to those researching Swedish Americans. It was not very common for Swedes to have fixed surnames before the end of the 1800s. Swedes’ surnames used to be based on their fathers’ first name (patronymics). The surnames therefore changed from generation to generation.

Patronymics also resulted in members within the same family having different surnames (see the family in the image above, and check another blog we have on the topic). Y-DNA is still useful, even without surname matching, since it will show you others who have tested that you share a paternal line with. With that information, you can check if they have already built a reliable family tree – or you can attempt to build their family tree yourself to find your shared ancestor.

Mitrochondial DNA (MtDNA)

(Mitochondrial DNA testing offers a unique way to trace direct maternal ancestry, as it is passed from mother to child with little change over generations. Since mothers pass it down to all their children, anyone – regardless of sex – can take the test. Because MtDNA mutates very seldom (even less seldom than Y-DNA) and only slightly over time, it is a powerful tool for exploring deep ancestral roots. Such tests can reveal maternal lineage connections stretching back thousands of years.

However, even those with a perfect MtDNA match to you may share a common ancestor with you who lived hundreds or thousands years ago. This makes mtDNA testing too broad, in most cases, to pinpoint a shared ancestor within a genealogically useful timeframe. Still, it can offer a valuable piece of the puzzle – especially when your paper trail research on a particular line aligns with the results of your mtDNA test.

Since MtDNA testing focuses exclusively on individual’s maternal line (mother’s mother’s mother’s…), you need to find a relative to test on that line or take the test yourself if it is your line.

Best DNA Testing for Swedish Americans: Which Company?

There are several companies that offer DNA testing, each with its own strengths. In an upcoming blog, I will share my thoughts on which ones could advance your Swedish American family research.

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna

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Swedish Name Changes and Patronymics in Your Family Tree

Anna — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:14 +0000

Swedish Name Changes and Patronymics in Your Family Tree

Do you have patronymics in your family tree? This is likely the case if you see constant changes of surnames between generations. In this blog, you will find information about what patronymics are, their use over time, and an effective strategy to overcome them in your genealogy research.

What is Patronymics?

Patronymic surnames were the norm for centuries in Sweden. If you have Swedish ancestry it is therefore highly likely that you have patronymics in your family tree. In this blog, we look into the evolution of patronymics over time. Unlike fixed family surnames, people were identified by their father’s first name followed by the suffix “-son” for sons or “-dotter” for daughters. For example, if Lars Eriksson and Maja Jönsdotter had a son named Erik, the son’s name would be Erik Larsson. If he had a daughter named Karna, her name would be Karna Larsdotter.

If Karna then married Pär Andersson, they would keep their respective surnames while their children’s last names would be Pärsson or Pärsdotter. As a result, the people a single nuclear family could have at least three or four different surnames. There could be even more variations of surnames if additional fathers, mothers or perhaps foster children were added to the family over time.

Patronymics: A Practice From Medieval Times

The patronymic tradition made surnames change with each generation. This was a practice that dated back to at least the medieval times and the reign of King Gustav Vasa (also known as Gustav Eriksson Vasa) in the 1500s. The system applied across all social classes. Fixed surnames were very uncommon. If you encounter a fixed name in your family tree from those days, it might indicate origins outside Sweden.

Surnames in Sweden at that time could also be a title reflecting the person’s profession, such as Olof Bagare (Baker), or Johan Skräddare (Tailor). By the 1500s-1600s, many priests had also had taken fixed names, of which many ended in “-ander” and “-us”, such as Wallander and Bergius. In addition, soldiers were given last names when they joined the military to tell them a part from each other. Their names could be adjectives that reflected their character such as Fast (Firm), Frisk (Healthy), and Rask (Brisk).

Evolution of First Names

During the reign of Gustav Vasa’s grandson, Gustav II Adolf, in the 1600s, first name practices in cities began to change. Noble families started giving their children more than one first name. They were inspired by the name of the King Gustav II Adolf and the burghers soon followed suit.

Eventually, the practice of giving children multiple first names spread to the countryside. That was where the vast majority of the Swedish population lived as farmers. Around the same time, the nobility also began adopting fixed surnames. The practice of adopting fixed surnames, as well as multiple first names, can prove beneficial for your family research.

Devolution of Patronymics

By the late 1800s, more people were adopting fixed surnames. This may be good for you research. However, it can also add to the challenges of overcoming patronymics in your family tree. You then have to determine that it is the very person you are researching that changed names. There were no regulations on how to change a name at that time. All a person of legal age had to do was to tell the parish priest that they, and/or a family member of theirs, wanted to change their name. You will often find a note of that in a church record or other.

Although it was easy to take a fixed name, the patronymic system persisted well into the 1900s. It wasn’t until 1966 that a law officially ended the use of patronymics in Sweden. However, already in 1901, a regulation encouraged Swedes to adopt fixed surnames. As a result many took their father’s patronymic name as their fixed family surname or chose an entirely new one. These new surnames were often inspired by the places they lived, such as Westman (man from the west), or by nature, such as Lindgren (linden branch).

What To Do With Patronymics in Your Family Tree?

The patronymic naming system in Sweden can pose challenges for genealogy research. However, it also offers a unique advantage: a surname often reveals the father’s first name, providing valuable clues. The key to navigating patronymics successfully is correctly identifying the first individual in your family tree. Once you establish this person’s identity, tracing earlier generations becomes much more manageable.

Sweden has a long tradition of maintaining detailed population records, which greatly supports genealogical work. Still, no matter how good the records are, starting with the wrong individual can lead your research in the completely wrong direction. A reliable strategy for identifying this crucial first person is to focus on their birth details—when and where they were born—rather than relying solely on their name. This approach helps overcome the complications of patronymic naming.

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna

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Where to Start with Swedish Genealogy

Anna — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 05:00:23 +0000

Where to Start When Tracing Swedish Ancestry

Tracing Swedish ancestors can feel overwhelming. A common piece of advice is that you need three basic pieces of information to get started: a relative’s name, date of birth, and their birth or residence parish in Sweden. That advice can discourage some people from even trying. What if you do not have all of that information? In this blog, I explain why these facts are important for in-depth genealogical research – but also why you do not necessarily need to know all of them to begin.

The Three Basic Pieces of Information

Name

Knowing a first and last name is a good starting point. However, many Swedes changed their names after emigrating. Some did so to make the name easier to pronounce. Others changed their names to better fit into their new country. For example, “Anders Åkerman” might have been changed to “Andrew Ackerman” or “Andy Oakerman.” “Maria Eriksson” could be spelled “Mary Ericson” or “Marie Erickson.”

In the late 1800s, many Swedes began adopting fixed surnames in Sweden. In 1901, a regulation was introduced requiring people to have a permanent surname. After that, changing one’s name required official permission. Before 1901, it was usually enough to simply go to the priest and state that you wanted to change your surname – and you could pretty much choose any name, as long as it was not one from the nobility. These name changes can make it more challenging to trace your Swedish ancestry, especially when searching for relatives who emigrated or changed their names for other reasons.

Birth Date

A date of birth is often crucial for distinguishing between people with the same name. Sweden used patronymic surnames for centuries. This tradition resulted in many people sharing identical last names – such as Karlsdotter or Nilsson – without being related. For example, there could even be several “Per Nilsson” or “Annika Karlsdotter” born in the same parish during the same decade. An exact date of birth helps identify the correct person in historical records. Fortunately, Swedish church books recorded dates of birth carefully, making them an invaluable source for genealogical research.

Parish

Swedish genealogy relies heavily on church records, much like census registers do in Canada and the United States. Each parish kept detailed annual records containing information about parish members’ names, births, marriages, deaths, and more. In addition, church books often include details about where a person came from and where they moved. This makes it possible to track individuals from one parish to another over time. Knowing an ancestor’s birth or home parish is therefore important, because church records were kept locally. Without information about your ancestor’s parish, it can be difficult to find the right person.

Other Sources Than Can Help You Get Started

Du behöver inte ha alla tre uppgifter (namn, födelsedatum, församling) från början. Det finns många sätt att hitta dem under släktforskningens gång. Här är några exempel från mitt eget arbete:

Familjehistorier: En person jag gjorde släktforskning åt sa: “Det här låter kanske konstigt, men min farfar sa att vi kom från masklandet i Sverige.” Det visade sig syfta på Värmland – en ledtråd som, i kombination med andra, ledde rätt.

Fotoalbum: Gamla foton med namn, datum eller fotografens ort kan ge viktiga pusselbitar. Jag har identifierat många individer och familjer i svenskamerikanska fotoalbum genom att analysera just dessa detaljer.

Släktträd: I ett annat släktforskningsprojekt visade sig ett befintligt släktträd vara korrekt fram till en farfarsfar som emigrerat. Därefter innehöll trädet fel personer. Med hjälp av två namn på syskon till huvudpersonen vi sökte kunde jag identifiera rätt familj i Sverige.

The lesson is that every detail counts—a name, a postcard, a sibling’s birthdate, or an emigration year can be the key to a breakthrough. And if traditional genealogy using historical records doesn’t provide enough information, DNA testing can also offer additional insights.

DNA as a Complement or Starting Point

DNA tests can be an excellent complement to traditional genealogy and, in some cases, a good starting point.

DNA as a Complement to Genealogy Research

Historical records in Swedish genealogical archives are generally well-preserved. However, there are cases where information is missing or was recorded incorrectly. In some instances, fires, people discarding “outdated” archives, or water damage have resulted in documents being lost or difficult to read. DNA can help confirm family connections when documentation is incomplete, unclear, inaccurate, or missing. Through DNA matches with people who share a common ancestor with you, it is often possible to verify relationships that would otherwise be difficult to prove. DNA is especially useful when tracing Swedish ancestors who emigrated without leaving much documentation behind.

DNA as a Starting Point to Genealogy Research

The greatest value of DNA tests lies in the ability to connect your family tree with others through the DNA matches that are presented. The test can provide information about which individuals you and your matches are likely descended from in common. However, for this to be possible, the shared ancestor must not be too far back in time. The further back in generations, the less likely it is that you have inherited enough comparable DNA to compare with relatives living today who have taken the test.

By analyzing DNA matches, you may also be able to find relatives who have progressed further than you in their genealogical research. By studying their family trees and contacting them, you may gain valuable information that can help you move forward -such as names, dates of birth, or parish affiliations. Many DNA testing companies also offer ethnicity estimates that may indicate Scandinavian or Swedish ancestry. However, these estimates should be interpreted with caution, as they can be misleading, especially when the percentages are low.

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna

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The post Where to Start with Swedish Genealogy appeared first on Swedish American Ancestors.

Tracing Swedish roots - Swedish American Ancestors

Best DNA Companies for Swedish American Genealogy

DNA Companies for Swedish American Genealogy

Researching Ancestry Up To 5 to 7 Generations

Ancestry.com

MyHeritage.com

FamilyTreeDNA.com

Researching Beyond and Verifying Up To 5 to 7 Generations

Unlock Your Ancestry

Best DNA Test for Swedish Americans

Best DNA Tests for Swedish Americans

Three Types of DNA Tests

Autosomal DNA (atDNA)

Finding Very Distant Cousins Is Unlikely

Y-DNA

Tracing Surnames May Not Be Useful

Mitrochondial DNA (MtDNA)

Best DNA Testing for Swedish Americans: Which Company?

Swedish Name Changes and Patronymics in Your Family Tree

Swedish Name Changes and Patronymics in Your Family Tree

What is Patronymics?

Patronymics: A Practice From Medieval Times

Evolution of First Names

Devolution of Patronymics

What To Do With Patronymics in Your Family Tree?

Hejdå for now 🙂 Anna

Links

Where to Start with Swedish Genealogy

Where to Start When Tracing Swedish Ancestry

The Three Basic Pieces of Information

Name

Birth Date

Parish

Other Sources Than Can Help You Get Started

DNA as a Complement or Starting Point

DNA as a Complement to Genealogy Research

DNA as a Starting Point to Genealogy Research

Hejdå for now 🙂 Anna

Links

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna

Hejdå for now 🙂
Anna