The population is around 12-14,000 with a densely inhabited east coast, mainly consisting of villas. The biggest village is Gottskär, in older days a fishing village, and which today has a few restaurants and a leisure boat harbour. Lars Gathenhielm was born in the old parish of Onsala. He was a Swedish privateer commissioned by the king to raid Danish ships. He and his wife, Ingela, who took over his business as a privateer as a widow, are interred in a basement crypt beneath the smaller tower of the church. Their white sarcophagi have carved "jolly rogers" at the foot end.