Ahlmark, Magnus parents, and family country of origin

[Kurt Magnus Ahlmark]

Hello Sweden!
 
My name is Kurt Magnus Ahlmark. I am looking for the name of my great grandparents on my grandfather's side. My Grandfather's name is Magnus Ahlmark. He was born on June 3, 1878 in Valne, Sweden. He married Ingeborg Marta Nilsson who was born April 19, 1881 somewhere in Sweden. My grandfather was in the Swedish army, inparticular the cavlary. He apparently was so talented that he performed in front of the Swedish King. Please note that his father (? Ahlmark) may have come from Finland and he probably was in the army or navy as well. If he came from Finland he probably was in the Czar's army. Also, where did the name Ahlmark originate from??
 
My father's name is:  Rhagnar Eric Ahlmark
My name is:           Kurt Magnus Ahlmark
My oldest brother is: Stephen Eric Ahlmark
My other brother is:  Michael Nelson Ahlmark

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Your grandfather was found in the Emibas database:
 
Magnus Olof Ersson Almark, born 1878 June 3 in Alsen, Jämtland county, emigrated 1903 April 19 from Valne in Alsen.  
 
He is not found in the Passenger lists as leaving Sweden, but from Jämtland it would be common to emigrate from Norway.
 
The next step for you is to check the Alsen church records, which you can get hold of through the Mormon Family History Centers.

[Karin Björkholm (Karin)]

A painter M O Ahlmark you find here http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/search/shipManifest.asp?MID=19583691990071975136&pID=102648120750

[Erik Holmlund]

Kurt Magnus, Elisabeth>  
 
I made a search in the 1890 Census, which is available online for free, for five counties, luckily one of them being Jämtland. I found a 'Magnus Olof Ersson', born 1878, living in Walne, in the parish of Alsen. Magnus Olof might have later picked up the last name Ahlmark. Why he picked the name is hard to say. He could have been given the name Ahlmark in the army. Further research on his military career could clear that option out. Looking at the name of his home parish, Alsen, immediatly generates another option, which would be that the home parish [partly] inspired him to pick the name Ahlmark.
 
Magnus Olof is listed as 'son' in the household.  
The head of the household is 'Jonas Grelsson, b.1845' and his wife 'Brita Olofsdotter, b.1853'.
The patronymic of Jonas Grelsson doesn't match. The first name of Magnus Olof's father ought to be 'Erik', as his patronymic is 'Ersson'. Strange case, because if Magnus Olof was Jonas Grelsson's stepson, that would normally be noted. Maybe he was Brita Olofsdotter's son from an earlier marriage.  
 
Here's all the persons in the household listed.  
http://www.foark.umu.se/folk/z/person.asp?lannr=23&forsnr=35&pnr=1556&selarkbild=Alsen
 
Regards
Erik, Skellefteå

[Maud Svensson]

This should be Magnus Olof in census 1880:  
 
Home parish: Alsen  
Residence: Ede
County: Jämtland
Farmer Erik Månsson b. 1846  
Wife Brita Olsdotter b. 1853
Son Magnus Olof b. 1878 in Verdal, Norway
Son Per Olaus b. 1880 in Alsen
 
It seems to be correct that Magnus Olof was born in Norway as he is not found in 1878 birth records of Alsen.
 
His brother Per Olaus was born 10 January 1880 in Ede, Alsen.  
 
Married in Alsen 19 October 1875:  
Erik Månsson b 1846, farm-hand in Wahlne
Brita Olofsdotter b 1853, farmer's daughter in Wahlne
 
Farmer Erik Månsson in Ede died 12 August 1885, at the age of 38 years, 11 months, 17 days. Cause of death: Cancer in face.
 
Married in Alsen 3 July 1887:  
Widower Jonas Grelsson in Walne, b. 2 October 1845
Farmer's widow Brita Olofsdotter in Jamma (?) village, born 14 June 1853
 
Census 1900:  
Home parish: Alsen  
Residence: Valne
Farmer Jonas Grelsson b. 1845 in Alsen
Wife Brita Olofsdotter b. 1853 in Alsen
Brita Olofsdotter b. 1867 in Alsen, his stepdaughter
Magnus Olof b. 1878 in Alsen, her son from previous marriage
Per Olaus b. 1880 in Alsen, her son from previous marriage
 
Brita Olofsdotter b 1867 was a stepdaughter of Jonas Grelsson from his marriage to Kerstin Halfvardsdotter who died of tuberculosis 26 December 1884 at the age of 43. Brita was born 23 January 1867 in Kerstin's previous marriage to Olof Månsson in Walne.
 
I found painter Magnus Olof Ahlmark in the Norwegian Digitalarkivet. He left from Trondheim, Norway, 4 May 1903 with ship Xania (probably to Christiania/Oslo where he got onboard Hellig Olav), destination Minneapolis, Minn.    
 
Kind regards,
Maud

[Maud Svensson]

Hello again Kurt Magnus,
I think I have found your grandmother Ingeborg, also born in Alsen - do you want information on her family too?
 
Maud

[Kurt Magnus Ahlmark]

Hello from Florida again!
 
Wow! That was a quick series of responses! My first order of business is to thank all of you for your wonderful information. Thank you Elisabeth T., Karin B., Erik N., Maud S., it was quite shocking to get so much so fast. I am certain that I know more now than my father ever knew. I have more information that I have uncovered.  
 
From Vital Records Index:
Brita Catharina OLOFSDOTTER AHLMARK - F, Birth/Christening: 25 May 1772
Stockholm, Sweden
 
Perhaps my great grandmother is Brita OLOFSDOTTER AHLMARK?
 
From Svensk riskalender/ 1908 - 606  
Ahlmark, C.O., Major [414], F. 59; 01
 
Perhaps my biological great grandfather?
He has the right age and has a military background... C. > Conrad > Kurt ?
 
From Pernion Lapparlan Isotalon/Alastalon Suku  
Osa III: Taulut 30-46
Taulu 38
Magnus Leander Ahlmark. Synt 21.2.1839 Pernio. + 19.4.1895 Pernio (hirtii itsensa)
 
Perhaps my biological great grandfather?
He has the right age as well as the same first and last name....but is from Finland.
 
Just a comment on the name Ahlmark. Ahlmark (Almark, Ahlmarck, Ahlmarcks) is a very, very old Swabian name that means: Ahl noble + mark mark, land or territory. Ahl is the basis for the names of numerous nobles of Charlemagne and their descendants well over 1,000 years ago.
 
Maud Svensson, any information you want to supply will be greatly appreciated! Thanks very kindly.
 
Any input on the the Ahlmarks listed above and possible senarios would be greatly appreciated.  
Are any of them reasonable?
 
         THANKS AGAIN,
                     Kurt

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Kurt, Ahl or al in Swedish is a deciduos tree, and it is very common to form surnames from elements of nature. There are probably a number of families with the Ahlmark/Almark name that are not related.
 
You can read a lot about Swedish names here

[Maud Svensson]

Kurt Magnus,
As Erik suggested it is likely that Magnus Olof Eriksson/Ersson chose the name Ahlmark because he lived in Alsen. He was the first Ahlmark of his family - his parents were Erik Månsson and Brita Olsdotter in Alsen (see my earlier posting).
 
Magnus Olof was hardly a professional soldier, but he may have done his compulsory military service (or part of it) in Stockholm.
 
Here is your grandmother in census 1890:
 
Home parish: Alsen
Residence: Wången
County: Jämtland
Freeholder Carl Nilsson b. 1836
Wife Kristina Nilsdotter b. 1857
Ingeborg Märta b. 19 April 1881
Anna Magdalena b. 6 September 1882
Sigrid Erika b. 27 August 1884
Carl Nicolaus b. 16 September 1886
Olof Magnus b. 26 October 1888
- all family members were born in Alsen
 
At the birth of the two youngest children Carl Nilsson was an inn-keeper.
 
Married in Alsen 28 May 1880:
Carl Nilsson b. 4 January 1836, freeholder in Wången, his second marriage
Kristina Nilsdotter b. 8 July 1857, maid in Hof, her first marriage
 
Census 1900:
Home parish: Alsen  
Residence: Vången
Karl Nilsson b. 1836, freeholder
Kristina Nilsdotter b. 1857
Ingeborg Märta b. 1881
Anna Magdalena b. 1882
Sigrid Erika b. 1884
Karl Nikolaus b. 1886
Olof Magnus b. 1888
Gerda Katarina b. 9 June 1892 in Alsen
Agnes Olga b. 15 February 1895 in Alsen
Nils Erik b. 11 January 1898 in Alsen
Märet Charlotta Åström b. 1893 in Alsen, foster-child
 
Regards,
Maud

[Kurt Magnus Ahlmark]

Florida Gator back again.
 
Thank you Maud S. for all this information on my grandmother Ingeborg Marta. I remember her well, she was such an incredibly kind person. Her cooking abilities were amazing . Every time we sat down to eat it was a many course meal, a real banquet! Everything was delicious. She made Swedish cookies that you would dream about!  
 
Maud I have seen my great grandmother refered to as Brita Olsdaughter and Brita Olofsdaughter. Which spelling do you think is correct?  
Do you know who her parents were?  
I find it odd that her first child, my grandad Magnus Olof, was born in Norway. You would think that a young woman would want to stay close to home to have her child.  What do you make of that?
Did Per Olaus go by the name Mansson or by Ahlmark?  
 
What is the difference between a farmer and a freeholder? Thanks again from Gator Country.
 
               Kurt M.A. Gator

[Anders Andersson]

The patronymic names Olsdotter and Olofsdotter are equivalent; both indicate a father named Olof. Olsdotter is simply a shorter form of the patronymic, and the same person may appear in the records with different spellings at different times due to the habits of the scribe; neither is more correct than the other. The same applies to Ersson, which is a shorter form of Eriksson (after a father named Erik).
 
A child being born in Norway comes as no surprise, as the provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen have always maintained close ties with their Norwegian neighbours in trade and similar matters (those provinces actually formed part of Norway a few centuries ago). In addition to that, Sweden and Norway formed a loose union under a single monarch in 1814-1905. Maybe Magnus Olof's parents just happened to live in Verdal, Norway, in 1878?
 
You won't find any alligators in the Norwegian fjords, but there are occasional killer whales looking for company...

[Maud Svensson]

Kurt,
Sorry - I don't know the parents of Brita Olsdotter/Olofsdotter.  
 
I would say a farmer and a freeholder are the same. A freeholder (hemmansägare in Swedish) may have had I bigger farm. Hopefully, someone - who knows English better than I do - will explain this properly.
 
I suppose Per Olaus went by the same patronymic as his brother - Ersson/Eriksson. But at the end of the 19th century it became more and more common to use the father's patronymic as a surname - your grandmother and her siblings had their father's patronymic Nilsson instead of one of their own, Carlsson/Carlsdotter.
 
Do you know any now living relatives in Sweden, descendants of your grandmother's siblings? Her four youngest siblings still lived in Alsen in 1970 and at least three of them were married. If you want me to, I could try to find their children/grandchildren.
 
Regards,
Maud

[Kurt Magnus Ahlmark Gator]

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark (Gator) back again.
 
Thank you Maud S. That would be great to receive any information on Brita Olofdotter and her decendants in Alsen or any where else!
 
I have gained a little more information on my grandad. According to his christening record, his father is listed as Erik Valne who's residence is listed as Maritvold Oren, Oren apparently is a place in Verdal, Norway. This is another odd turn of events as my grandfather listed his place of birth as Valne, Sweden.  
 
Some of the odd information discovered so far.
 
1.) He did not use his father's first name as the basis for his last name, as is the custom in Sweden.
 
2.) He listed his birthplace as Valne, Sweden, which was false and not Verdal, Norway which it was.
 
3.) He pulled a surname out of thin air to use.
 
I'm beginning to wonder if he was running from something!
 
Thanks, Gator from Gator Country.

[Anders Andersson]

I doubt your ancestor was trying to obscure his origin. In the late 1800's, it was quite common for people to adopt new surnames not based on patronymics, sometimes relating to one's place of residence. Before 1901, when new legislation was enacted, people could essentially adopt whatever surname they liked.
 
Quite often there is confusion about birthplaces, especially in families that have moved from parish to parish. Sometimes the birth takes place outside the parish where the mother is a registered resident, leading to appearantly conflicting information in different records.

[Maud Svensson]

Kurt,
I have found a number of your relatives on your grandmother Ingeborg Marta's side. Two second cousins of yours will contact you by e-mail.
Regards,
Maud

[Kurt Magnus Ahlmark]

Maud S.,  
Thank you! Her side of the family is in much better shape genealogically speaking. My Grandad's side is a mess. Maybe it will come out in the wash over time. I think that my great, great, grandad is Mans Olofsson. He had a son Eric Mansson (who I think is my grandfather's dad) born August 30, 1846 in Alsen, Jamtland.
Thanks!
Kurt A. (Gator)