# Nesna Municipality

Nesna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesna. Other villages in Nesna include Handnesneset, Husby, Saura, and Vikholmen.
The municipality consists of the three main islands Tomma, Hugla (known as "Hugløy" by its inhabitants), and Handnesøya, and one peninsula that bears the name of the municipality, Nesna. The old Husby Estate is headquartered in Husby on Tomma island.
The Coastal Express arrives two times a day at the village of Nesna, the northbound arrives 05:30 and the southbound 11:15. The village of Nesna is also home to the Nesna campus of Nord University, and there is also the KVN High School, and Nesna Church.
The 183.2-square-kilometre (70.7 sq mi) municipality is the 310th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Nesna is the 294th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,808. The municipality's population density is 9.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (26/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 4.9% over the previous 10-year period.

## General information

Nesna was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The western island district of Nesna Municipality (population: 1,348) was separated from Nesna Municipality on 1 July 1888 to form the new Dønnes Municipality. This left Nesna Municipality with 2,958 residents. On 1 January 1919, the Bardalssjøen farm (population: 4) was transferred from Hemnes Municipality to Nesna Municipality. In 1945, a small area of southern Nesna Municipality (population: 26) was transferred to Leirfjord Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, the part of the island of Løkta (population: 80) belonging to Nesna Municipality was transferred to the new Dønna Municipality. The part of the island of Tomma (population: 80) belonging to Dønnes Municipality was transferred to Nesna Municipality. Then on 1 January 1964, the Bardalssjøen area of Nesna Municipality (located south of the Ranfjorden), was transferred to Leirfjord Municipality. On that same date, the part of Nesna around the inner part of the Sjona fjord was transferred to Rana Municipality.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Nesna farm (Old Norse: Nesnar) since the first Nesna Church was built there. The name is derived from the word nes which means "headland". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Nesne. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Nesna.

### Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 23 June 1989. The official blazon is "Per chevron inverted Or and Azure" (Norwegian: Delt av gull og blått ved omvendt sparresnitt). This means the arms have a field (background) that is divided by a line in the form of an inverted chevron pattern. The background above the line has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The background below the line has a tincture of azure. The arms are a canting of the name of the municipality (Nesna comes form nes which means headland in Norwegian). The arms show a yellow-colored "headland" or peninsula surrounded by blue water. The arms were designed by Jarle E. Henriksen.

### Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Nesna Municipality. It is part of the Nord-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.
Churches in Nesna :
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
| Nesna | Nesna Church | Nesna | 1880 |
| Nesna | Handnesøya Chapel | Saura | 1969 |
| Nesna | Husby Chapel | Husby | 1905 |

## Government

Nesna Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Nesna is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
Nesna kommunestyre 2023–2027 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 2019–2023 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 2015–2019 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 2011–2015 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 2007–2011 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 3 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 2003–2007 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 5 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1999–2003 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1995–1999 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Cooperative list for Nesna (Samarbeidslista for Nesna) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1991–1995 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1987–1991 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1983–1987 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1979–1983 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 4 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| | Election list for the Tomma area (Valgliste for Tomma krets) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1975–1979 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Joint list of independent voters, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party (Samarbeidsliste av Uavhengige Velgere, Høyre og Venstre) | 5 |
| | Election list for the Tomma area (Valgliste for Tomma krets) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1971–1975 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 6 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1967–1971 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna kommunestyre 1963–1967 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 17 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1959–1963 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1955–1959 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| | List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 2 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 9 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1951–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 10 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1947–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 13 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 14 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 7 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 21 |
Nesna herredsstyre 1937–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 1 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 6 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 16 |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |||

### Mayors

The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Nesna is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:
* 1838–1848: Johan Augustinussen
* 1848–1850: Fredrik Christian Sand
* 1850–1854: Johan Augustinussen
* 1854–1867: Elias Olsen
* 1867–1876: Jacob Fredrik Zahl
* 1877–1880: Elias Olsen
* 1881–1890: Carl Jøsevold
* 1891–1894: Jakob Beck
* 1894–1896: Lorents Pettersen
* 1896–1898: Christian F. Olsen
* 1899–1907: Carl Jøsevold
* 1908–1914: Nils Haugen
* 1915–1918: Anders Pettersen
* 1919–1922: Møller Zahl Hauknes
* 1922–1925: Ivar Hjellvik
* 1926–1928: Laurits Riise
* 1929–1942: Arne Langset (V)
* 1943–1945: Anders Forsland
* 1945-1945: Arne Langset (V)
* 1946–1952: Johan Knutsen (Ap)
* 1952–1956: Einar Enga (Ap)
* 1956–1957: Olaus Berg (H)
* 1958–1964: Edvard Kaspersen (Ap)
* 1964-1964: Henry Antonsen (Ap)
* 1964–1965: Håkon Langseth (Sp)
* 1966–1967: Leander Paulsen (Ap)
* 1968–1971: Arne Herseth (Ap)
* 1972–1973: Edvard Kaspersen (LL)
* 1974–1975: Arne Herseth (Ap)
* 1976–1981: Mathias Sellæg Moe (V)
* 1982–1983: Kåre Eriksen (H)
* 1984–1985: Ole A. Selseth (V)
* 1986–1987: Arne Herseth (Ap)
* 1988–1991: Øyvind Jenssen (Ap)
* 1991–1995: Anne-Lise Wold (Ap)
* 1996–1999: Gunnhild Forsland (Sp)
* 1999–2007: Anne-Lise Wold (Ap)
* 2007-2011: Ronny Sommerro (Ap)
* 2011-2015: Marit Bye (H)
* 2015–present: Hanne Davidsen (Ap)

## Geography

The highest point in the municipality is the 921.75-metre (3,024.1 ft) tall mountain Tommskjevelen. Nesna is located west of Rana Municipality, north of Leirfjord Municipality (across the Ranfjorden), east of Dønna Municipality (an island municipality), and south of Lurøy Municipality.

### Farms of Nesna

Historically, the land of Nesna was divided up into named farms. These farms were used in census and tax records and are useful for genealogical research.

#### Map of the farms

Note that each map has a maximum number of listings it can display, so the map has been divided into parts consistent with the enumeration districts (Norwegian: tellingskrets) in the 1920 census. This map includes one farm name per farm number; other farm names or subdivision numbers may exist. (Note: The historical tellingskrets 4, Nordsjona og Kvalnes, and 5, Myklebostad og Venes, are now part of Vefsn Municipality, while the historical tellingskrets 8, Bardal; 9, Sørlandet; and 10, Lilandet Fagerviken, are now part of Leirfjord Municipality).

#### Farm names and numbers

The farms in the Nesna municipality are listed in O. Rygh's series Norske_Gaardnavne ("Norwegian farm names"), the Nordland volume of which was published in 1905.
    See also: Digital version of Norske Gaardnavne - Nordland (in Norwegian)
The farm numbers are used in some census records, and numbers that are near each other indicate that those farms are geographically proximate. Handwritten Norwegian sources, particularly those prior to 1800, may use variants on these names. For recorded variants before 1723, see the digital version of O. Rygh. Note that the 1920 census records mapped above may not match O. Rygh.
Farm names were often used as part of Norwegian names, in addition to the person's given name and patronymic or inherited surname. Some families retained the farm name, or toponymic, as a surname when they emigrated, so in those cases tracing a surname may tell you specifically where in Norway the family was from. This tradition began to change in the mid to late 19th century, and inherited surnames were codified into law in 1923.

## Notable people

* Johan Augustinussen (born 1808 at Langset - 1888 in Nesna), a curate/choirmaster, teacher, and politician
* Hans Christiansen (1867 in Nesna – 1938), a sailor who competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics
* Birger Fredrik Motzfeldt OBE, CVO (1898 in Nesna – 1987), an aviator and senior military officer
* Ida Maria (born 1984), a musician and singer-songwriter who was born and lives in Nesna
* Emil Weber Meek (born 1988), a professional mixed martial artist who was brought up in Nesna
* Ulrik Berglann (born 1992 in Nesna), a footballer with 180 club caps