Danish Church Record Question
I have a Danish church record which indicates a different name. It called it a "mindelige Navn", google translates this to "friendly name". I have a connection in Denmark that says it might mean "original name". The name I was aware of was Christen Pederson, in his second marriage record and two of the children from this marriage the name Christen Christensen is listed and a name. In later census records he is listed as Christen Pedersen. His birth year remains consistently 1765 in the census records. All records so far have been in or close to Hillerslev, Thisted, Denmark. Why would his patronymic go from Christensen to Pedersen? I'm having trouble getting further without understanding the change. Should I be looking for Christen son of Peder or Christen son of Christen? Maybe both? Is Christensen his "original" name? It's a real puzzle. The family is:
Christen Pedersen (maybe Christensen) b.1765 G6HQ-2QW
Karen Marie Sorendatter Jensby 1787-1831 (2nd wife) K8RB-TPY
Chrisen Christensen (1814) GVNG-CG5
Kjersten Marie Christendatter (1818-1904) G6H7-XM4
Soren Christian Christensen (1826-1875) L1J5-CPY
Also, Soren dies about 1875 and there is a probate record, are the Danish probate records available on line? I am not familiar at all with the Danish probate records.
Thank you in advance for any insight
Comments
-
Just as a warning.
In the 1787 census of Hillerslev Parish alone you have 9 Christen Christensen and 12 Christen Pedersen.
It can be very hard (and sometimes impossible) to distinguish between them.
So lets start with Søren Christian.....
Født: 1. Maj 1826 i Hillerslev Sogn.
Navn: Søren Christian [Christensen].
Fader: husmand Christen Pedersen.
Moder: hustru Karen Marie Sørensdatter, boende i Brond [= Brund].
Faderens virkelige navn er Christen Christensen.
Source (page 33, nr 4): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=21696003#412422,75975270
Census 1834: Brund bye, Hillerslev Sogn, Hillerslev Herred, Thisted Amt.
Christen Pedersen Mand 69 1765 Enkemand Dagleier
Kjersten Marie Christensdatter Kvinde 16 1818 Ugift Hans barn
Søren Christian Christensen Mand 8 1826 Ugift Hans barn
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid2360142
Census 1840: Brund. Hillerslev Sogn.
Christen Pedersen Mand 75 1765 Enke(mand) Almisselem
Søren Chr. Christensen Mand 14 1826 Ugift Hans søn
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid4184489
Census 1845: Brund. Hillerslev Sogn.
Christen Pedersen Mand 80 1765 Enke(mand) Indsiddere og almisser [born Hillerslev]
Dorthe Christensdatter Kvinde 42 1803 Ugift Indsiddere og almisser
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid5865177
NB: Is this a daughter of his?!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No! Dorthe is not a daughter based on the following.
Hillerslev Sogn.
Konfirmation 1820.
Navn: Dorrithe Christensdatter.
Døbt: 18. Søndag post trinitatis 1803.
Fader: husmand Christen Kaastrup.
Moder: hustru Ana Marie Christensdatter, boende i Brond [= Brund].
Source (page 4, nr 11): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=21696003#412429,75975406
Census 1801: Lille Hillerslev, Hillerslev Sogn.
Christen Kostrup [= Kaastrup] Mand 49 1752 Gift Husbonde bonde og gårdbeboer
Anne Marie Christensdatter Kvinde 38 1763 Gift Hans kone
Christen Christensen Mand 15 1786 Ugift søn
Karen Christensdatter Kvinde 13 1788 Ugift Datter
Jens Christensen Mand 10 1791 Ugift søn
Karen Marie Kvinde 6 1795 Ugift Datter
Niels Christian Mand 4 1797 Ugift søn
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid1333747
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2nd marriage of Christen Christensen/Pedersen!
Hillerslev Sogn.
"Den 19. December [1813] copulered enkemand Christen Christensen og pigen Karen Marie Sørensdatter i Hillerslev."
Source (page 145): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=23414873#587358,91684230
0 -
Agreed, these are the records I have for him so far. It's very nice to have confirmation. I also found Dorthe Christensdatter (1803) was not his daughter, but she might be a niece.
In his second marriage record he is listed as "enkemand" widower, so he has a first marriage probably sometime between 1783-1813, but it's difficult to find without a wife name or a child's name. His wife most likely died around 1810-1812. Unfortunately there is a large gap between the 1801 and 1834 census.
The first son of the 2nd marriage Christen Christensen (1814) has a confirmation record in 1829 that looks like it lists him as Christen Overgaard, but I'm not sure that I understand the record properly.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L944-X9DB-M?i=109&cc=2078555
All the children in the 2nd marriage have Ana Marie Chistensdatter listed as a witness in baptisms. I'm speculating that she is Christen's (1765) sister. I'm also guessing she lived close by and that perhaps she is the mother of Dorthe Chistensdatter (1803) found with Christen (1765) in the 1845 census. These are my best guesses so far.
You are correct that the 1787 census is a nightmare to try and identify Christen Christensen (1765), this is exactly what is causing my struggles.
Thank you so much for your response Niels!
0 -
Looking at the 1787 Census for Hillerslev, narrowing the search to Christen born in 1765 there are the following:
This Christen is a sailor and I don't think he is the right one.
Possible parish Otser Vandet
Possible parish Vester Vandet, there is a sister named Anne which fits with my speculation
I'm wondering about this one because of the notation in Christen's (1814) of Overgaard. But there is no Ane listed.
Possible parish: Sennels, There is an Anne Christensdatter.
I think the last 3 are the more likely.
0 -
The 2nd Wife:
Død: 21. Juli 1833 i Hillerslev Sogn.
Navn: Karen Marie Sørensdatter.
Indsidder Christen Christensens hustru i Brund.
Alder: 44 Aar. [So born around 1789]
Source (page 5, bottom right): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=21696003#412430,75975421
NB. Doesn't seem to be any probate.
NB As she is also called Jensby, this could be her family in
Census 1787: Lille Hillerslev. Hillerslev Sogn.
Søren Jensbye Mand 34 1753 Gift Husbonde Bonde og gaardbeboer
Anna Christensdatter Kvinde 31 1756 Gift madmoder
Christen Sørensen Mand 3 1784 Ugift Deres søn
Karen Sørensdatter Kvinde 1 1786 Ugift Deres datter [= Karen Marie Sørensdatter ??]
Zidsel Jensdatter Kvinde 22 1765 Ugift Tjenestepige
Jørgen Jørgensen Mand 25 1762 Ugift opholdende Tømmermand og daglejer
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid275395
&
Census 1801: Lille Hillerslev. Hillerslev Sogn.
Søren Jensbye Mand 48 1753 Gift Husbonde bonde og gårdbeboer
Anne Chatrine Christensdatter Kvinde 42 1759 Gift Hans kone
Karen Sørensdatter Kvinde 14 1787 Ugift Datter [= Karen Marie Sørensdatter ??]
Ingeborg Sørensdatter Kvinde 8 1793 Ugift Datter
0 -
in 1814 they are in Hillerslev and not yet in Brund.
Født: 29. August 1814 i Hillerslev Sogn.
Navn: Christen [Christensen].
Fader: husmand Christen Christensen.
Moder: Karen Marie Sørensdatter Jensby i Hillerslev.
Source (page, bottom): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=21696003#412422,75975242
0 -
It seems that the church books have him under the name Christensen, but the census information (given by the person himself) is Pedersen. What is written in the church book is the legal name, but the census we have what people called themselves.
Could it possibly be that he was born out of wedlock and where the mother didn't marry the biological father and he then got a stepfather?!
Which one is which is hard to know, but Christensen could be from a biological father named Christen and his stepfather named Peder?!
0