Genfind

The Norwegian word bygd is an old and richly important word which may be translated as settlement in the sense of building up. [To pronounce it as Norwegians do, shape the lips to whistle and say beegd.]

In North America, the emigrants (and their descendants of particular regions held annual reunions of lodges they formed called bygdelags [Trondelag, Vosselag].

In Canada and America provinces [Ontario, Alberta] and states [Wisconsin, Minnesota] correspond to Norwegian fylkes [Telemark, Hardanger] which were called amts [Nordre Bergenhus] earlier. Each had a governor and a legislature.

American counties are similar to Norwegian kommunes. Counties are further divided into townships (in Wisconsin called towns [Town of Pleasant Springs]).

The word town comes from tun which is the center yard of a Norwegian farm [gards tun]. This use of the word town should not be confused with the more common usage meaning village or small city. In the 1840s and 50s, a Norwegian-American farmer would be said to be living in "the town of Albion," but meaning the farm lay in Albion Township, not the village of Albion. Accounts often seem to indicate that a person is a village dweller rather than a farmer if these usages are misunderstood.

Amts became fylker in 1918. Kommunes had boundaries altered in 1964. Formerly, many persons traveled to church by boat. As roads are built, those persons descendants may well travel by car to a different church; thus parishes may serve different farms than previously.