Living by the Sea: Farming and Fishing in Sweden from the Late Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century

Abstract

Using the northwestern European household and family pattern as a backdrop, household and family structures were studied in four coastal regions in Sweden during the nineteenth century. Each area represented a variant of a maritime ecotype. Mean household size and a simple family structure were found in three areas, although economic circumstances differed significantly. True fishermen lived in Gullholmen, fishermen-farmers in Hasslö, and farmer-fishermen in Tynderö. In Hållnäs average household size was relatively small, although complex family structures were common. A diversified local economy of which fishing was only one component gave rise to this pattern. The involvement of the state in restricting access to resources and/ or restricting property management was found to be a key factor in explaining why some areas developed similar patterns despite varying economies.