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This study focuses on the semi-subterranean houses in northern Sweden, specifically in the counties Jämtland, Västerbotten and Västernorrland. The semi-subterranean houses were usedby hunter-gatherers and the houses date to the end of the Mesolithic and the Neolithic. In this study two separate types of semi-subterranean houses are being investigated. Both types of semi-subterranean houses are categorized as ‘settlement embankments’ (Sw. boplatsvall). Within the study one type is called ‘embankments of fire-cracked stones’ (Sw. skärvstensvall) which are situated in the interior part of Norrland, and the other type is called ‘embankmentsof gravel/sand’ (Sw. grusvall) which are mainly found in the coastal areas of Norrland. The purpose of this study is to investigate the number of individuals residing within the semi-subterranean houses. Cross-cultural studies based on ethnographic material is used to calculate how many individuals lived in each house. The cross-cultural study of floor area has resulted in a mean of how much space (6.1 m2) a prehistoric human needs in a dwelling. This number is used to calculate the number of individuals that lived in each house based on the size of the floor area. Another purpose of this study is to investigate if there are any differences between the embankments of fire-cracked stone and the embankments of gravel/sand. Are they simply different construction techniques or are there any other differences between them, such as size, social structure and chronology.