I have been doing genealogical research since my early teens, and as most people I started with my own family. Several years ago I extended this research to all families in Faaberg and Lillehammer. Through the years I have built a genealogical database on persons and families in this area using the program TMG. Presently the database includes more than 80,000 persons, most of them in Faaberg and Lillehammer or descending from families in this area. The period from about 1600 till about 1900 is covered and most of this information is collected by me from the primary sources for genealogical research in this area. Examples are church records, census returns, court records, probate registers and real estate records. I have also used some more "obscure" sources, especially for the 17th century. I must admit though, that family connections from the 16th century and earlier are taken from printed material and have not been properly checked by me. Generally one can say that most relationships from before the 17th century are based on poor and insufficient sources, and must be used with care. The possibilities of errors here are usually many.

I am not a professional genealogist and I do not have the time or capacity to trace either ancestors or other relatives in Norway, paid or unpaid. All I can do is to check my database to see if I already have your family.
All information you receive from me is provided “as is” and free of charge. The information is not in any way copyrighted and you are free to use it anyway you like. I see no reason to put copyright on genealogical information.
However, I cannot guarantee that information coming from me is one hundred percent free of errors, but it is as correct as I have been able to make it. You must of course regard this information as coming from secondary sources and use it accordingly.
If you choose to use genealogical information coming from me publicly like on the internet, in printed books or in any other way, it is your own responsibility to make sure that information you make publicly available is correct.

I was born and raised in Faaberg/Lillehammer and I know this area very well. A thorough knowledge of the area and its history and traditions is a major strength when it comes to the more complex parts of genealogy. As long as we are working with the 19th century (especially the second half) when we have detailed census returns and church records to support us, the genealogy work is fairly straight forward. When we start to work with the 17th and 18th century, however, the demand for knowledge of the area, it's history and traditions is of great value. Also experience with, and knowledge about, the different sources useful for a genealogist is indispensable at this stage of the research. Census records do not exist from before 1801 and the church records alone are very often not good enough to be able to follow a family. The church records from the 18th century are of far poorer 'quality' than in the 19th century. For Faaberg the oldest church records start in 1727.

If your ancestors emigrated from Faaberg or Lillehammer you can contact me if you like and I will see if I can identify your family. However, before you send me a mail please read the other genealogy-pages using the menu-line on top of this page. It will enhance the chances for an identification if you do a little homework in your own country before you contact me.

A friend of mine here in Lillehammer, Egil Røste, is working with persons and families in Aasmarka in Ringsaker, just south of Lillehammer.