Danish counties, or amter, were historically divided into districts, herreder, and then into parishes, sogner. The parish was the unit responsible for keeping church-books, which recorded births, confirmations, marriages, deaths, and changes of residence between parishes.
Nels B. NELSON (1870-1963) was born in Vestervig parish in Thisted amt. This map shows the parishes in Thisted. His mother's family had lived in Bedsted parish, in nearby Hassing herred, for at least two generations, at a place called Broegaarde (also spelled Brogaarde) -- this was the source of the "B" of Nels's middle name, as he was baptized Niels Brogaarde Nielsen.
