[#14546] Abelsted surname

[Gjest Arne Mikal Mikkelsen]

My g-g grandfather was Halvor Michelsen Abelsted (born sometime before 1824). I thought Abelsted was probably a farm name. I did find one farm 'Abelstad', in Vaage Parish, Oppland. But when I tried to find this farm in the 1801 Census, it was not there.I searched the 1865 Census and found 14 people in all of Norway with the surname AbelstEd (not AbelstAd). They were born many different places (6 in Oslo), but none were from Oppland. So now I wonder if Abelsted is not a farm, but something else.Can anyone help me to solve this mystery?Helsing, Arne Mikal

[Gjest Geir Eide]

I assume it is the farm/place listed as -Lillesæther, Abelstad- in the 1865 census. You will find this farm in Vaage/Waage parrish in Oppland. I can`t find any Abelsted/Abelstad (similar spellings) listed in the Oppland 1801 census. May be it was a cottars place setled after 1801?Best regards Geir Eide.

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

The farm Abelsted/Abelstad is in Sel, Vågå, and is farm number 283. It is not old as a farm, and the name is believed to have its origin from a person called Abel.You will not find Abelstad/Abelsted in the 1801 census, nor the neighbouring farms Vaspladsen, Dissen and Grotet. My guess is that they all are found as parts of the Brekken farm in the 1801 lists: LenkeBrothers Ole and Hans Abelsen lived at a cottagers place at this farm, and could perhaps be sons of the person giving Abelstad its name.Abelsted is also an old family name, perhaps with its origin from Denmark, and with no relations to the farm in Vågå. Peter Abelsted (1696-1757) was a minister in Slidre, Valdres 1724. He was the son of Hans Abelsted in Christiania, and from Peter's son Hans Abelsted (1724-1791), a major, descends a huge family.A book alled 'Familien Abelsted, en gren av Christianiaslegten Leuch' was published in 1933 by S. H. Finne-Grønn, and the same man has told the story of this family in Norsk Slektshistorisk Forenings Skrifter III (1932), page 225-232.

[Gjest Arne Mikal Mikkelsen]

YngveTakk, I have found a site where there is a person that has the family book, unfortunately the e-mail address in the web site is no longer valid. His name is Erik Noer but I could not contact him. Do you know of anyone who has the book and could look and see if my g-g-grandfather Halvor Michelsen (Mikkelsen) Abelsted or his family are mentioned there?Again thank you for your help.HelsingArne Mikal