Population (1998) is about 800-1100 (which is why you won't find it in most atlases; you can find it on the Web at: MapQuest.
Here is a picture of Bangsund, Norway; courtesy of Jan-Erik Saur (see below). The yellow arrow indicates the location of his home.
Here is another picture of Bangsund, Norway courtesy of Knut Harald Langøren who was born in the town of Namsos and lived in Bangsund. The view is apparently (?) toward the South or Southwest.
The following spellings have been observed for the Farm/House/Town of Bangsund:
Bangxsunde
Bangswn
Bangsun 1559
Bangsundt 1590
Bangsund 1669, 1723, and Today
Bangssund 1801 Census
Bangsunnd 1926
Several years ago I had heard, from a German exchange student, that the name Bangsund may have come from BANG meaning "ice" and SUND meaning "sound" (strait or harbor; fjord). Thus the typical Norge naming practice, to confuse others, may have been a play on words to indicate that the town of Bangsund may be ice-bound (much of the time). Of course, the play on words may tell a Norseman just the opposite and that the Bangsund harbor was actually ice-free.
This is quite akin to the Norse naming of Iceland (which is ice-free) and of Greenland (which has quite a bit of ice).
Well, it appears that the name Bangsund may (instead) be BANG from the nearby Bogna River and SUND meaning "sound" (strait or harbor; fjord). The Bogna River has been said to be from the word(s) bagn or bagnli meaning "difficult" or "problematic" (to travel on; which is true - according to Jan-Erik Saur); although this may not have much to do with the name of the Town/Farm. The naming of the Town/Farm may just have been a historical routine naming practice to name a Town utilizing a nearby natural feature as its basis. By-the-way, a few kilometers (15km) North lies the Town of Namsos. It has been said that its name is derived by NAMS from the Namsen (meaning unknown) River and OS from "mouth of river"; i.e. NAMSOS.
Best records and/or guesses find that this was originally known as a farm; 'Bangsund Farm' or 'Farm Bangsund'.
The farm is a very old settlement; in 1886 a grave mound was found which may be from about 500-600 AD
The first known user (to date) of the farm was Jon Bangsund in ~1521.
The Bangsund Farm was divided into two when Mickel Andersen Bangsund (1693-1774) divided the "farm" in ~1770 for his sons; as Ole Mikelsen Bangsund got the Southern 1/2 (or Bangsund-South) and Paul Mikelsen Bangsund got the Northern 1/2 (or Bangsund-North).
Carl Olsen Bangsund (and two of his brothers; Mikkel Olsen Bangsund and Petter Olsen Bangsund) moved from the Bangsund Farm to Tromsø, Troms, Norway in ~1781 (~32 years of age for Carl); before the town was in existence (according to the 200th year anniversary 1794-1994); possibly still a farm settlement (?).
Need to 'see' the current weather in Tromsø?
The population at Bangsund in 1801 (according to the 1801 census) was 30 persons.
In 1801 (according to the 1801 census) there were Bangsunds living in/at Alten, Bangsund, Kasnæs, Seiwåg, Talvig, Tromsø, and Trondhiem, Norway. Other Bangsunds (most likely) had married into other families and had changed their family (surname) due to marriage or due to the "custom" of taking on the new 'farm' name.
At Bangsund, Norway the Kaldahl family owned a sawmill on the opposite side of the stream (near Vikan?) from where Jan-Erik Saur's house now is, from middle of 1800.
The Collet family (of Oslo) bought some forests in the area (of Bangsund) around 1860-1870.
The Collet family (of Oslo) bought the Bangdalsbruket sawmill from the Kaldahl family in ~1880.
Building materials (lumber) and shoes were exported from Bangsund.
The Collet family moved the sawmill over to the same side of the stream near where Jan-Erik Saur's house is. (See the Bangdalsbruket Sawmill on the 'linked' pictures and map - below). The mill was finished in 1903.
The Bangdalsbruket sawmill burned down in 1907.
The Bangdalsbruket sawmill was rebuilt in 1910 and operated to 1980. Said to have been the biggest sawmill in northern Norway.
The Northern 1/2 (or Bangsund Farm North) became the Grav Farm when:
Halvor Julius Bangsund and (his mother?) Pauline Ingebrigtsdatter Selnes resided 3 Apr 1915 Bangsund gnr 16 bnr 5(North Farm?); deed, Pauline handed over farm to son Halvor and son-in-law August (husband of Anne Bangsund), used in community of those two owners.
Halvor and August resided after 29 Jan 1923 Bangsund gnr 16 bnr 5(North Farm?); After Halvor died August took over whole farm to release his brother-in-law after death (?).
Grav Farm in Northern part of valley! i.e. North 1/2 of Bangsund farm that was sold to Paul Mikkelsen Bangsund in ~1770 by Michel Andersen Bangsund (?)
The family farm {Bangsund Farm South?} was sold out of the family (by - unknown; possibly Tomas Bangsund) to the former sawmill company in Bangsund {~1935} (BANGDALSBRUKET).
When the Bangdalsbruket sawmill had economical problems, in the years around 1975, they sold most of their properties (including forest holdings) to the Norwegian government.
Bangdalsbruket A/S sawmill closed in 1978-1980.
The population of Bangsund in 1998 (according to Jan-Erik Saur, a resident) is 1100 persons. It has a school, a gas station, and a small supermarket.
No one named Bangsund currently lives in Bangsund, to the best of my knowledge.
There are a few Bangsunds living in the nearby town of Namsos (and some in Oslo, Canada, Australia, United States and Wales).
Alte ("swan") is a farm/village/family.
Bangdalen which would translate to Bang Walley {valley} _ km ...
Bangsjøan which would translate to Bang Lakes (they lay in Bangdalen).
Bangsund School: [email protected] Bangsund, Norway Bangsundbotn is a special area in Bangsund also known as 'ainnersia' which is Norwegian for 'the other side'.
Barstad is a farm/village/family 8 km North.
Berre is a farm/village/family 10 km North.
Bjorum is a farm/village/family ...
Bogna (river) comes down from the Bangdalen, into Bognasund, through Lyngenfjorden and out to the sea (Atlantic Ocean).
Bognasund means fjord, or sound, of the Bogna (river).
Collet family bought the Bangdalsbruket sawmill from the Kaldahl family in ~1880.
Efskind is a farm/village/family.
Fjær ("feather") is a ??? family(?).
Flak is a farm/village/family 2.5 km East.
Follafoss is a ??? 56 km Southwest.
Grav is the only farm (currently in operation - 1997?) in Bangsund (aka the Bangsund Farm - North).
Grong is a ??? 45 km East by Northeast.
Hemnafjellet is the large mountains (fjellet = mountains) 2 km West. 675 meters (2200') above sea-level, and takes 1.5 - 2 hours to get there (hike?).
Høilo is a farm(?) sold by Tomas Bangsund(?) to the Collet sawmill; according to Jan-Erik Saur.
Kaldahl family owned (built?) and operated the Bangdalsbruket sawmill from mid 1800's and sold it to the Collet family in ~1880.
Klinga is a farm/village(?) 4 km Northeast.
Klinga Kirk (Klinga Church) sits on a hillside at Klinga. The adjoining cemetery has many Bangsunds interred, as well as other local familiar names.
Liabo is a farm/village/family.
Lyngenfjorden is the fjord leading in to Bangsund from the sea (Atlantic Ocean).
Malm is a ??? 40 km Southwest.
Namdalseid is a village(?) 20 km Southwest.
Namsos is a town (pop. 12,000) 15 km North
Orsundli is a hill close to Lyngenflorden.
Overhalla is a village 30 km Northeast
Osen is a ??? 40 km West by Southwest.
Ranen (or Ranem) is a town 50 km North.
Reitan is a nearby farm/village/family with 4 farms.
Romstad is a farm/village/family in Bangdalen (to the Southeast?).
Saur is a farm/family who owned a portion of the Bangsund Farm/South.
Selnes is a farm/village/family 2.5 kn North.
Sjøåsen is a farm/village(?) 10 km Southwest.
Snasa is a ??? 40 km Southeast.
Spillum is a farm/village/family(?) 9 km Northeast.
Steiøkjer is a ??? 50 km South.
Statland is a ??? 16 km Northwest.
Straumen is a ??? 64 km South.
Verdalsora is a ??? 72 km South.
Several of these (above) farm/village/family names are interwoven in the Bangsund family. You can see this in the "Genealogy" link (below).
Please "L
K" here for more pictures of Bangsund, Norway!
Bangsund, Norway in 1967 (Picture)
Bangsund, Norway in 1995 (Picture)
Bangsund, Norway in 1991 (Map)
The city of Tromsø has quite a lot of Bangsund history from ~1748. This is currently being researched. For now the following is (may be) of interest:
Bangsundbrygge is a wharf in Tromsø, Troms, Norway; aka "Bangsund Wharf"(?)
Bangsundtorget is a town square (park) in Tromsø, Troms, Norway; aka Bangsund Town Square. Named for Erling Bangsund(~1890-1972) it is "directly across from the old Catholic church." "There is a bust...statue of (grand?)son-in-law (Arthur Berg Arntsen?) who is a famous Norwegian journalist and comic"; according to: Christine Normo
Bangsunds Trelasthandel, AS (Bangsund's Lumber Yard, Inc.") at/near the location of the Bangsund Town Square. Owned (and/or built?) by a Bangsund.
Kjær; a family name which means "beloved or dear". Name is most likely Danish in origin.
Tromsø High School.
Please "LK" here for more pictures of Tromsø, Norway!
Tromsø City (Picture); courtesy of Linda Bennett
Tromsø Harbor (Picture); courtesy of Linda Bennett
Tromsø (Map); see Linda Bennett's description of Tromsø
PLEASE check out the Jan-Erik Saur Family!
Send and comments, corrections, or additions to me; Clark!
Thank You!!!
"AIKAB"
Bangsund
Genealogy
Letters / Comments
Book:
Title: [Arkiv] / Bangsund arbeiderpartis kvinneforening.
Author/editor: Bangsund arbeiderparti. Kvinneforeningen
Published: 1938-1946. Pages: 2 b.
Notes: Inneholder protokoller, 1938-1946.
The following are for punctuation(?) use...
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æ
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å
Å
