Get help from an experienced genealogist

At the National Archives' reading rooms volunteer counsellors can help you with your genealogical research.

Are you a beginner or are you bogged down in a problem? Experienced genealogists regularly visit the National Archives’ reading rooms in Copenhagen, Odense, Viborg and Aabenraa to help other genealogists.

There is no need to book in advance for this assistance. You just have to be there. It is a free service and everyone is welcome.

The offer has been established in collaboration with family history associations.

What help is available?

Help is available for a little of everything. The topics will mainly be the use of church records and censuses, information about sources and their credibility, and the use of forms and IT. You are very welcome to ask specific questions that relate to the most frequently used source groups. For example:

• Police and justice cases
• Paternity cases/illegitimate children
• Adoption
• Probate records
• Muster rolls

You can also get help to search archives in Sweden, Germany and the USA as well as help in deciphering handwriting.

When can I get help from a volunteer counsellor?

Get an overview below or in the calendar.

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• Copenhagen

  Every Thursday

  The volunteer counsellors are present at the reading room in Copenhagen every Thursday from September to April.

  They come from the association of Danish genealogists  Danske Slægtsforskere (formerly DIS-Danmark).

  The first half of 2019

  First time: 3 January 2019

  Last time: 25 April 2019

  Time

  You can get assistance from 10 am to 2 pm.

  Place

  The guidance takes place in the school room (entrance at the reading room, Proviantpassagen).

• Odense

  The first Thursday

  In Odense, the volunteer counsellors are ready to help you with your family research on the first Thursday of the month from September to June.

  The volunteer counsellors come from Danske Slægtsforskere Odense.

  The first half of 2019

  First time: 3 January 2019

  Last time: 6 June 2019

  Time

  You can get assistance from 10 am to 1 pm.

  Place

  The guidance takes place in the reading room.

• Viborg

  First and third Thursday

  You can get help from volunteer counsellors in the reading room in Viborg on the first and third Thursday of the month from September to April.

  The volunteer counsellors come from Slægtshistorisk forening for Viborg og Omegn.

  The first half of 2019

  First time: 3 January 2019

  Last time: 25 April 2019

  Time

  You can get assistance from 10 am to 2 pm.

  On the third Thursday of the month, the user help is supplemented with a special theme from 10 am to 12 pm. Thursday with a special theme is announced in the overview of events.

  Place

  The guidance takes place on the second floor.

  Registration

  If only one or two people come, there is no registration.

  NOTE: A separate arrangement must be made for larger groups. Contact: Lene Fuglsang Majlandt, phone: 40 43 14 52, lenemajlandt@gmail.com

  Practical information

  You may bring a laptop

• Aabenraa

  The first Thursday

  You can get help from volunteer counsellors on the dates below.

  The first half of 2019

  Dates in the first half of 2019: 7 February, 7 March, 4 April and 9 May.

  Time

  You can get assistance from 10 am to 2 pm.

  Place

  The guidance takes place in reading room.