During the period 1984-1995 Luster kommune published five farm and family history volumes that include the rural parishes of Fortun, Dale, Nes and Gaupne in former Luster parish and also a volume covering Jostedal parish. New books are now being completed covering the rural parishes of Fet, Joranger, Solvorn and Hafslo in former Hafslo parish. Ecclesiastical divisions between the three parishes of Hafslo, Jostedal and Luster coincided with their administrative divisions, making them three separate municipalities or kommuner. In 1964 Hafslo, Jostedal and Luster were consolidated into one large municipality, Luster kommune.
Because one of the authors has had a longer leave of absence due to illness, publications are planned for 2004-2010 with volume 6 as the first one – and the next following 6 months later. It is somehow uncertain to what extent we may portion this publication into 4 volumes as originally planned. The large amount of material and a maximum number of pages per volume indicates that the number of volumes for Hafslo parish will increase to 7 volumes. Read more about preliminary division of volumes on our separate web page: Division of volumes. After the consolidation of the three municipalities of Hafslo, Jostedal and Luster in 1964, the area covering Luster kommune of today is characterized by scattered rural settlements and large distances between these settlements. Luster is the largest kommune in Sogn og Fjordane, the larger administrative division in the district, measuring 2.702 square kilometres or approximately 1.679 square miles. Luster kommune centers around the inner branch of the Sognefjord, which is called the Lustrafjord.
The bygdebok volumes
include both a farm history and a family history for every farm, and the two parts have their own author. The farm history has information about the meaning of the farm name, the age of the farm, its location, limits, mountain pastures and to what extent farm properties were subdivided into smaller units. There is also a mention of the cotter farms, farms that were located on land that was rented from the larger freeholding farms. At the back of every volume the reader is able to study maps that show the location of all dwellings on freeholding farms, cotter farms and regular private homes. Dwellings are marked both if they are still standing today, but also in cases where if they once have been removed.
The family history mentions all persons who have lived on the freeholding farms and the cotters’ farms as far back in time as what is documented. The author of this part of the bygdebok has also emphasized including all persons who have moved outside the community.
Luster kommune is one of the areas in the whole country that had the largest number of people moving outside its community limits, including both emigrants who went to America as well as those who migrated to destinations within Norway. Around 1850 present Luster kommune had a population of about 8000, while as of January 1, 2003 the number of inhabitants was 4926. All those who emigrated to America are mentioned in the book with such information as: their date of birth, date of death, residence, profession, place and date of marriage, the name of their spouse and the names of their children. Nearly all children born to those who emigrated are mentioned with the following information: their residence, profession, place and date of marriage, name of spouse and the number of children they in turn had.
Those who moved to other locations within Norway are mentioned with their date of birth, date of death, residence, place and date of marriage, name spouse and names of their children. A distinctive feature with the coming volumes is that they will also contain the information mentioned above for the first generation born outside of Luster, not only for transatlantic emigrants. The progress of this bygdebok project concerning both the farm and the family history, which is unique in Norway, is put on display on a separate web page.
STATUS bygdebok volumes 10 -12