Ostrobothnia
Närpes
Land & Livelihood
The land uplift following the ice age is remarkable in Närpes and what makes up the forest and fields was once at the bottom of the ocean. 9 For centuries Närpes has been a genuine coastal region, with a 700 km shoreline.3 Along the shore are many fishing harbors and huts. The land is flat and the open landscapes provided the setting for vast fields for farming. Fishing and farming industries have provided the primary livelihood of Närpes’ residents. 9
This map of the Närpes parish from 1938 displays on the HisKi project website, made available by the Genealogical Society of Finland.
Parish History
- Närpes is one of the oldest parishes in Finland. It likely was established by 1331 when the area was served by a Catholic
priest 6 - It became an independent parish in 1348 6
- As with the other large original parishes, it sub-divided into other parishes as distant communities grew.
Parish Records
Because parish Communion records are listed by village and farm name and because farm names often were used as a part of a person’s name, it is interesting to note the following farms.
Villages and farms of Narpes were recorded in T.W. Karsten’s work, Svesk Bygd I Osterbotten: Nu Och Fordom. 2 Narpes Parish Communion records were not used to confirm these findings.
To open a printable list of villages and farms (pdf), click here.
Historic Villages
The historic villages of Närpes include:
- Back
- Bole
- Finnby
- Gottböle
- Kalaks
- Kaldnas
- Klaresund
- Knåpnäs
- Kåtnäs
- Norrnäs
- Nämpäs
- Näsby
- Pielaks
- Rangsby
- Ståbacka
- Tjärlaks
- Träskböle
- Väster-Yttermark
- Öster-Yttermark
Farms
- Uppgårds
- Skrivars
- Filpus
- Heikfolk
- Böling
- Härts
- Hermans
- Harv
- Simons
- Härtsböle
- Granskog
- Mickels
- Lassander
- Svens
- Snickars
- Smeds
- Håkans
- Kull
- Väster
- Nygåࣻrd
- Sund
- Klemets
- Ers
- Gullmes
- Nicks
- Lillnicks
- Skinnar
- Malm
- Josslas
- Gros
- Heikfolk
- Svartbäck
- Karlå
- Norrgrann
- Mannfolk
- Ivars
- Bärnes
- Prints
- Back
- Johannesberg
- Tomasfolk
- Rusk
- Mattfolk
- Långåls
- Nygård
- Antas
- Erkas
- Nissfolk
- Ollant
- Krok
- Bondfolk
- Bonde
- Söderman
- Haga
- Gärds
- Benvik
- Eskilsö
- Teir
- Konn
- Mattfolk
- Klarasund
- Bertils
- Knåp
- Benvik
- Eskilsö
- Nygårds
- Perus
- Klockars
- Nynäs
- Teir
- Åbbel
- Erikslund
- Nordman
- Snickars
- Lassa
- Knuts
- Smeds
- Gräggas
- Markusfolk
- Frants
- Räv
- Skomars
- Finne
- Näs
- Nygård
- Nybacka
- Rös
- Langels
- Martens
- Skomars
- Lassfolk
- Jossfolk
- Näs
- Åbbel
- Mjödträsk
- Skata
- Norrgård
- Teir
- Hannus
- Perus
- Kamb
- Ivars
- Maris
- Klåvus
- Änst
- Klemets
- Gnidars
- Lassfolk
- Jeppe*
- Sigg
- Råtts
- Hannus
- Tåg
- Ellfolk
- Elpe
- Svalskulla
- Skrattnäs
- Brådd
- Berg
- Antfolk
- Båsk
- Back
- Småfisk
- Långvik
- Vallvik
- Pettersborg
- Uppgård
- Granskog
- Ömossa
- Svens
- Unis
- Lassfolk
- Norrgrann
- Södergrann
- Backfolk
- Västerback
- Hermans
- Granö
- Traskböle
- Kamb
- Joppas
- Nygårds
- Mannfolk
- Pellkolk
- Gädda
- Mattfolk
- Frost
- Lassfolk
- Norrholm
- Kroksmåssa
- Uljens
- Håkans
- Kamb
- Mangs
- Pellas
- Gull
- Lång
- Gädda
- Pått
- Simons
- Spelman
- Lärka
- Bengs
- Näs
- Säderback
- Hummelgård
- Skomars
- Saks
- Risås
- Mickels
- Smeds
- Knös
Parish Church
The first parish building likely was a wooden church. It was replaced by a stone church built in about 1435. Originally it was a small rectangular building. In the 1650’s the church was extended to the east. In the 1700’s two cross arms were added to the north and south. 6, 7
The bell tower was built in 1757 under the direction of Matts Honga.6
Närpes Church This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Tomisti
To see more of the Närpes church, click here.
Of Interest
Närpes Stables
In the late 1800’s the church was surrounded by 400 stables. 4 They were built in rows during the 1700’s and 1800’s. Their purpose was to give shelter for horses, wagons and sleighs for the parishioners who rode in from rural farms to worship. “Throughout the country most of the church stables were removed in the 1930s as they were considered disgraceful.” Today about 150 church stables remain. The Närpes church stalls have been protected since 1963. 7
Närpes Church Stables. This file is licensed under
the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Tomisti
Folk Dress
Parish folk dress can be recognized by its style, colors and patterns. Until 1871, Närpes and Overmark were one parish. As such, they are represented by the one parish folk dress.
Närpes-Overmark folk dress photos used with permission of the Brage costume agency.
References
- Genealogical Society of Finland, HisKi project, Närpes parish, http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/a6bh7q?en+0364
- Karsten T.W., Svesk Bygd I Osterbotten: Nu Och Fordom, Helingfors, 1923, Närpes parish, pages 23 – 45
- Närpes Church image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N%C3%A4rpes_church.jpg
- Närpes Church stables, https://www.visitnarpes.fi/sv/kyrkstallarna
- Narpes Church stable image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N%C3%A4rpes_church_stables.jpg
- Närpes Folk Dress; Woman’s – https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-15;
Man’s – https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-12 - Närpes Forsamling; http://www.narpesforsamling.fi/sv/content/narpes-kyrka-0
- Närpes Parish; Wikipedia; https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%A4rpes_f%C3%B6rsamling
- Visit Närpes,https://www.visitnarpes.fi/en/about-n%C3%A4rpes
