Yes, you read that right… Tore Klungland was born circa 1495, 15 generations back from me!

In planning for this trip, my mom and I have connected with some long-lost relatives in Norway. And, so, we have also been exploring our family’s roots, reaching as far back as the 1400s. We’ve discovered all sorts of historical gems, fascinating characters, and unexpected connections.

Thanks to the absolutely staggering wealth of online historical data, what once would have taken months of painstaking research can now be done in just a few days.

The Family Tapestry

I’ve managed to completely trace back every name of every ancestor going back 5 generations. That took a bit of time, and it’s of course getting more difficult the further back I go. At this point, though, I’m 76% complete to 6 generations back, and over half complete to 7 generations back. And it’s not just names we’ve uncovered. Dates, places, children, spouses, occupations, military records, and so much more. It’s kind of overwhelming.

Beyond just names, our research has revealed quite a few interesting stories and details. From a newspaper article documenting my grandfather’s high school track and field win in 1941 to his real estate listings dating back to the 1960s when he was a Realtor with Weber Bros (I guess the real estate gene runs in the family).

A Tale of Survival

One intriguing story I never knew until now… My great uncle was a pilot in WWII. In 1943, he was in a fire fight with enemy aircraft, when he was shot down, hit in the leg with a bullet, and survived 8 days in a rubber dinghy adrift in the English Channel with no water!

An Ongoing Journey

These are just a few glimpses into the countless stories waiting to be unearthed. I expect we’ll discover much more as we go along. And from the sound of it, the relatives we’ll be visiting in Norway have documented a lot of history, too, and are excited to share.