From the Danish Demographic Database to Search the Collections
From the Danish Demographic Database to Search the Collections
The Danish Demographic Database (ddd.dda.dk) is being phased out. All data is preserved and moved to Search the Collections, where you can search censuses and other sources in one place.
A website is closing – the data is moving
The Danish Demographic Database (ddd.dda.dk) has been a trusted resource for the Danish National Archives and for many users for 30 years. The website is now technically outdated and can no longer be maintained or updated.
We know that many users have relied on established workflows in the Danish Demographic Database. For this reason, we have gathered guidance and answers to the most common questions below.
- For the latest guidance, migration status and FAQs, visit the Danish version of this page.
What this means for you
- You will need to search census data and other sources via Search the Collections instead of ddd.dda.dk
- You can search across multiple sources and view all results in one place
- You can access the the original source (image series) on Arkivalieronline
- Core data remains unchanged, but overall data quality has been significantly improved
Built by volunteers – powered by dedication
Over 30 years, more than 1,600 volunteers have contributed to what is now the Danish Demographic Database.
The work began in 1992 with the Danish Data Entry Project (KIP), a collaboration between genealogy societies and the Danish National Archives (then the Danish Data Archive). Volunteers entered data from original sources at home and submitted their work on floppy disks.
In 1996, the project had progressed to a point where the website ddd.dda.dk was launched, allowing free public access to the data.
Today, the database contains more than 1.7 billion records.
This is the result of an extraordinary volunteer effort. Tens of thousands of hours contributed by volunteers form the foundation of the Danish Demographic Database.
Data is gradually becoming searchable in ‘Search the Collections’
All datasets are preserved and transferred to the Danish National Archives’ data entry platform. From here, the data becomes available and searchable in Search the Collections.
Search functionality is being updated to reflect the familiar experience from ddd.dda.dk, with:
- improved performance and stability
- better integration with original sources
- a single access point to multiple types of archival material
We aim to transfer the data as quickly as possible and expect most datasets to be available by 1 September 2026.
Follow status, guidance and FAQs in Danish
Visit the Danish version of this page for updates on migration status, guidance and frequently asked questions.
Search the Collections – get started!
Please note that the Search the Collections platform and user interface are in Danish. Basic knowledge of Danish is required to navigate and search.
FAQ – frequently asked questions
Searches may take a very long time or fail to return results. The system is based on outdated technology and can no longer be maintained. Analyses show that the technical issues cannot be resolved.
No. All data is preserved and made searchable in Search the Collections as it is migrated.
Yes. Census data remains a priority and will be available in the new platform with similar filtering options.
Use Link Lives
You can search completed census datasets and parish registers via Link Lives.
The dataset may not yet be available in Search the Collections, or search behaviour may differ from what you are used to.
To improve your search, see:
For updates on available data and migration status:
- Visit the Danish page for migration status and FAQs
No. Some changes apply, but core functions remain. You no longer need to select a county (Amt) or enter a name to search.
Data is generally transferred unchanged, but known issues are corrected. New links to original image series are added where possible.
You can navigate from search results to the data entry platform, cs.rigsarkivet.dk and from there to Arkivalieronline image series.
Last updated
This page was last updated on 1 May 2026.
