SAAMI GENEALOGY RESOURCES

The Sámi people (Finnish: Saami; in Russian Cyrillic writing: Саами) are indigenous to the northern Nordic nations of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Russian Kola peninsula, a vast region of territory called Sápmi.

Since particularly the 1970s and 1980s, there has been a resurgence in interest in Saami culture, identity, and ancestry research.  Many Finnish genealogy researchers recently are striving to find the Saami connections in their own ancestries.

The old records, as we find them in their historical context in Finland and Sweden, use a defining word that is now within the Saami community almost universally considered highly derogatory and offensive, that is, "Lapp."  An example here of "Lappen" listed on the Swedish side of the Tornio River at Turtola: middle of the page on this record link.

Wikipedia: Sámi people | Sámi history

Good background Saami information for reading HERE.

A nice blog highlighting Saami genealogy, heritage, history, and culture HERE.

About language: NEW on 14 Mar 2017 - North Sámi: An Essential Grammar from Amazon.


Resource links to records in:

Finland  |  Sweden  |  Norway

To be determined:  Russian Kola Peninsula and Karelia


Important Saami Facebook groups and resources:

Saami Genealogy

Saami researchers: Finnish Genealogy Group of Minnesota

Nordic resources and ideas: Scandinavian Genealogical Research Center


Reference book anticipated in Fall 2017 which will include Saami research information: Modern Finnish Genealogy


Check back for new resources as this page continues to develop.