SwedPop, the national research infrastructure for historical population data, is now launching version 4 of its database. At the same time, a completely new version of the website swedpop.se is being released to give users a more modern, clearer, and more accessible entry point to the infrastructure.
Larger database – more parishes, longer time periods, and new variables
In the new version, SwedPop’s database has been expanded. Among the updates are more parishes and longer time periods in several of the included databases, as well as new variables, including information on income and taxation in the Rotemannen database for the City of Stockholm (1880 and 1890) and for Skellefteå city parish. The Swdish Death Index has also been extended by an additional 35 years and now includes all deceased individuals from 1831–2024.
Another important update is that the ICD10h codes for historical causes of death have been revised and supplemented with standardized cause-of-death categories, making comparisons over time and between databases easier.
Greater opportunities for research
The expanded database gives researchers and other users new possibilities for more detailed research questions, deeper analyses over longer time periods, and easier comparisons between different regions and population groups.
Upcoming updates in 2026
Several new features will be launched during the year to further improve accessibility:
New application form for personal data
A new digital form will open in the spring, allowing researchers to apply for data containing personal information that is not available through the open extraction tool. After an approval process in accordance with current legislation, the data can be released for research purposes. This replaces previous manual routines and represents a significant improvement in accessibility.
The 1950 Census becomes available
SwedPop has acquired the 1950 Census, which has now been harmonized according to SwedPop standards. Later in the year, it will be possible to request this data through the new application form.
Individual links – a major future improvement
Until now, individuals have not been linked across different databases, which has made longitudinal studies more difficult. In 2026, SwedPop will make available individual links between the censuses and between the longitudinal databases and the censuses. This will significantly increase the research value of the database.
Looking ahead – SwedPop version 5 coming in 2027
In spring 2027, version 5 of SwedPop data will be launched. It will include EMIWEB, a database containing information about migrants during the period 1850–1920.