Houtskär Parish Map
This map of the Houtskär parish in 1938 displays on the HisKi project website, made available by the Genealogical Society of Finland. 9

Land & Livelihood

Houtskär is made up of nearly 700 islands of different sizes; there is a group of bigger islands and a large number of smaller islands.  1

Parish Records

Because parish Communion records are listed by village and farm names and because farm names often were used as a part of a person’s name, it is interesting to note the following farms.

HisKi project findings were used as a starting point to identify parish villages.  Then Parish Communion Records of 1850 – 1862 were used to confirm village and identify  farm names. 9, 10 & 11 

Villages & Farms

  • Yrkesfolk
  • Torpare

  • Staffas
  • Ers
  • Göstas
  • Joss
  • Klemits
  • Anderses
  • Arvids
  • Erkas
  • Lassas
  • Backas
  • Steins
  • Hjerps
  • Piist
  • Franses
  • Michels

  • Svens
  • Andersas
  • Markus
  • Hinders
  • Staffas
  • Jacobs
  • Simons
  • Bondas

  • Bengteis
  • Gallas
  • Klases
  • Bertils

  • Knuters
  • Klemits
  • Studs
  • Grannas
  • Hindars
  • Jacobs

  • Staffans
  • Maars
  • Nybondas
  • Jakobs
  • Larses
  • Lasses
  • Langö torp, Yrkesfolk.

  • Nybondas
  • Grannas
  • Erkas

  • Torparen

  • Maars
  • Thors
  • Knuts
  • Erkas
  • Michels
  • Chirstas
  • Pellfors
  • Ers
  • Yrkesfolk

  • Knuts
  • Bengtes
  • Hannas
  • Göstäs
  • Nissas
  • Eskils
  • Mathas
  • Markus
  • Gunnars
  • Jakobs
  • Michels
  • Yrkesfolk

  • Uppgård
  • Thomases
  • Mårtens
  • Bys

  • Kapellans Bostället
  • Gåsas
  • Lassas
  • Ravels
  • Michels
  • Yrkesfolk

  • Lassas
  • Erkas
  • Hanses
  • Maars
  • Olofs

Öster Saverkeit

  • Slobbars
  • Jeppas
  • Backas
  • Donas
  • Simons
  • Kaifols
  • Yrkesfolk
  • Stor Pensar

Vester Savekeit

  • Pedars
  • Abras
  • Knuts
  • Smeds
  • Jönnes
  • Bengtes
  • Stor Penar

  • Utbyskatt
  • Torpare

  • Olofs
  • Klemits
  • Påhwels or Påfvals
  • Bahlts

  • Simons
  • Blasius
  • Staffas

Parish History

Mentioned in records for the first time as a chapel congregation under the Korpo parish in 1554. 6

Parish Church

Church of Santa Maria 

Houtskar Parish Church
Attribution: Alphaios / CC BY-SA
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) 7
  • A chapel existed in 1554
  • In 1639 a new chapel was built; in 1692 it was already considered too crowded
  • Current church built between 1703 – 1704
  • Built under the leadership of Erik Nilsson from Pohjalainen
  • Dedicated to the Virgin Mary
  • Located in Näsby
  • Wooden cross-shaped church; painted red
  • Lower part of bell tower built in1753; upper part in 1861 4,  5 & 6

Folk Dress

Each parish has a unique folk dress.  Parish folk dress can be recognized by its style, colors, and patterns.

Houtskär Folk Dress
Houtskär folk dress photo used with permission of the Brage costume agency. 8

Resources:

  1. Houtskär, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houtsk%C3%A4r
  2. Houtskar, https://visitparainen.fi/en/houtskar/
  3. Houtskär, https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fi&u=http://www.parainen.fi/web/kommunerna/en_GB/houtskar/&prev=search
  4. Houtskär Church, https://visithoutskar.fi/nae-koe/houtskarin-puuristikirkko/
  5. Houtskär Church, https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/203/houtskari-church/
  6. Houtskär Church, https://www.vastabolandsforsamling.fi/kyrkor-och-lokaler/kyrkor-och-kapell/houtskar-kyrka
  7. Houtskär Church Image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houtskarin_kirkko.jpg
  8. Houtskär Folk Dress Image, Brage costume agency, https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-43
  9. Houtskär Parish, Genealogical Society of Finland, HisKi project, http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/aal8tv?en+0099
  10. Houtskär Parish Communion Records of 1850–1862, https://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm
  11. Houtskär Parish Communion Records of 1850–1862, https://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/sivut/HisKi-digiarkisto.php?bid=21783