Friday, February 10, 2012

Swedish surnames and family names

Until quite recently, Sweden have not commonly used family surnames.
Instead we have had a patronymic tradition, which means that all children got their fathers first name as their surname, with the suffix -son (for men) or -dotter (for women).

So if a man named Lars Andersson had children, his sons would automatically had their surname as Larsson and his daughters would have Larsdotter as their surname.

It was first in the late 1800 and early 1900 that we stopped using patronymic surnames and changed them into family names.

About the same time women started to take their husbands surname as their own when getting married. Before this all women kept their surname their entire life, married or not.

When the change from patronymic surnames was completed all women that had their patronymic surname (ending with -dotter) to become the male version, ending with -son instead.
So Elisabeth Svensdotter suddenly was changed to Elisabeth Svensson. Quite boring I think.

That is the reason that we in Sweden have so many family names ending with -son (Andersson, Svensson, Larsson, Nilsson, Olsson, Johansson, Persson, Karlsson, Gustafsson, Eriksson, and so on...)

As you probably understand, there was literary hundreds of thousands of people living in Sweden that shared the exact same name during all periods of time.
But there was some of them that adapted a family name instead.

Sometimes just to avoid being mistaken to be someone else (since there often were maybe 10 Lars Larsson living in the same small village...), some started using a non-patronymic surname, sometimes this was passed on to their children, sometimes not.

Most common surnames (besides the patronymic ones) are very often connected to nature and names of places where people lived.
This gives quite many possible combinations, but also many of these surnames was adopted by many unrelated people in many different locations at the same time, making these family names not that unique and not very helpful to determine if people with the same family name were related or not...

Some very common words that are current in many Swedish surnames are to mention a few;

Berg (mountain), Gren, (branch on tree), Blad (leaf on tree), Kvist (twig on tree), Ström (stream in water), Lund (grove of trees), Ny (new), Söder (south), Nord (north), Väst (west), Öst (east), Sand (sand), Fors (rapids water), Sjö (lake)...

And often names of trees or animals are used, many times in combination with the above.
Some examples;


Flowers from a Linden tree
Lind (lime or linden), Ek, (oak), Gran (spruce, fir), Tall (pine), Hassel (hazel), Örn (eagle), Falk (falcon), Björk (birch), Asp (aspen), Äng (meadow), Lönn (maple)...

So by combining these we can generate almost all common surnames that is in top 100 here in Sweden...
My own surname Lindberg is a perfect example that is one of the most common surnames here.


Some people also got special names if they were soldiers. These soldier names was most of the times only used by the soldier himself and not passed on to his children, but sometimes they became family names also.
Most of these military names were either directly connected to the place the soldier served under or some classical ones like for example;

Trygg (confident, safe), Hård (hard), Stark (strong), Grym (cruel), Dunder (thunder), Stolt (proud)...


Also noblemen, priests, merchants and some craftsmen like smiths often used a family name as a surname.

The only family names that was protected was the one reserved for the noblemen. No one else outside the family could use a registered surname used by a noble family.

But besides that, no rules, so many people used the same surnames without being related at all.

But since early 1900 there is strict regulations and procedures when someone want to change or create a new surname.
Today the name must be unique or if it exists you must have a connection to this surname not so long ago in ones family.


In my family the Lindberg surname was first used by my great great grandfather, and he took it the year 1874 when he was 16 years of age. Before that his surname was Lindman, but that name came from the soldiers that served in Lindö In Vallentuna parish. (all soldiers there always was named Lindman).
So he could not use Lindman since he was not the soldier and he had to change.
Why he decided for Lindberg is not sure. But maybe he wanted to keep some of Lidman and since he lived at a farm that was named Berga, he maybe was influenced by that?

The boring part is that Lindberg is so very common here in Sweden, so sometimes I wish he would have had a little more fantasy when he made the change.

But of course I am very proud of my family name anyway!

45 comments:

  1. Thanks, Niklas. I have always wanted to know what the different Swedish names meant. Our ancestors changed their name to Lundquist right before coming to America in 1850's. They lived in Grolanda, Skaraborg län, Västergötland, Sweden.

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  2. Thank you for the very interesting information. My grandmother's maiden name was Gillberg. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Sweden. The name Gillberg goes back to the 1700s in my family tree. Can you please tell me what Gillberg might mean or come from? Thank you!

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    1. Hi Jana!
      Gillberg seems to have been taken as a family surname by several people not related to each other and also in different geographical regions in Sweden.
      But there is a place in Värmland named Gillberga from where many people with this surname originated from.

      Today there are about 1430 persons living in Sweden with the surname Gillberg.

      The actual "meaning" of the name is probably a combination of the words "Gille" and "Berg".
      Berg (mountain) is a very common word used in many different combinations to form surnames.

      Gille would probably best translate into "Guild".

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  3. My Grandfather's original patronym was Anderson, but while still in Sweden he changed it to Winblad. The family story is that men sometimes opted to swap their patronym for something else when they came of age, and this was not uncommon. Is that true? I'm also told that Winblad (Grape Leaf) has some significance in Swedish mythology. Do you know anything about that?

    BTW, after immigrating, he changed his name again, this time to "Winter".

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    1. Hi John! Thanks for your comment!
      In the mid- and late 1800s it was rather common that some people took and used a surname. Most Swedish surnames stem from this period.
      And it was mostly people from the countryside that moved in to the cities that made this change.
      In Sweden the word Vin is translated to Wine (as in grapes), but more common would possibly be that its originated from Vinbär that would translate to currant (black, red or white berries).
      I have no greater knowledge in Swedish mythology, I have not heard any stories about Vinblad there.

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    2. Thanks for getting back to me. My grandpa's timeline and story fits in with your narrative.

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  4. Hello and thank you for the information. I have always been interested in finding out about my last name Blomster. I just started researching my Swedish roots.

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  5. "Blomster" translates to "Floral" as in flowers.
    I wish you good luck in researching your Swedish roots!

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  6. Great site Niklas, my mother's side has the last name "Hammar". What can you tell me about the meaning/origin of this name? Also, any geographical/occupational information would be a great help! I too am beginning to research my Swedish roots! Thanks.

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    1. "Hammar" probably is derived from Hammare, meaning Hammer (like in handtool) or more likely from the industrial word Hammare, used in conjuction with a Hammer smithy and/or taken from some of the geographical places in Sweden with name Hammar (or ending in -hammar, like Östhammar, Surahammar, Glanshammar,Hallstahammar, and so on).
      Hammar is quite a common surname in Sweden, most people unrelated to each other.

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    2. My mother's maiden name is Hammar. Very intrigued by our ancestry on her side. Any resources besides an ancestry.com I can use to find our lineage? I have been doing some research via google and I have also found Hammar means "crag" or "cliff".

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  7. My greatgrandfather's last name was Thyr. I can find out very little about this name. He was likely born in Franshammar, Gavleborg and came to the US and Canada. Thank you for a terrific website!

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  8. I submitted a question, but am not sure it arrived to you, so I will ask again.

    My great-grandfather's last name was Thyr, and he was apparently born in Franshammar, Gavleborg. In my research it seems that Thyr is a Swedish first name as well as a surname, and not very common. I cannot find his birth record because I don't know the parish he was born in--Franshammar is not listed. Might I assume that his father's first name could have been Thyr?

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    1. Hello!
      I don´t know in what timeperiod your ancestor was born.
      Thyr is rather unusual as a first name in Sweden, Thor or Ture is perhaps more common and similar.
      Thyr as a surname was used quite often as a soldier-name.

      Depending on when in time it can be possible that also his fathers surname was Thyr. In later 1800s it became more common that also soldiers surname was passed down to the children.

      There are also many places in Sweden with Thyr as a part of it.

      Franshammar is located in Hassela parish in Gävleborg (Hälsingland).

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  9. I see in our family tree that a grandfather took his mother's maiden name, which at that point (he was born 1880) was already a "fixed" surname, Hallén. There is a story he was adopted, and disliked his stepfather, so chose his mother's name. I'd simply buy this (though they had many children the regular way), but I noticed that up the tree in the same family some kids take the father's name, other the mother's, at least that next generation above.

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    1. This could be either way. Some families had surnames that only the male familymembers used, and in some case some of the siblings in a family may have choosen to use the "old" way with patrynomic surnames, while some adopted the more modern way and used the same surname as their father, and yet some others might have choosen a completely different surname of their choice. Could be very confusing sometimes.

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  10. Oh, another man born 1780 is Anders Hansson Rask. Obviously Hans was his father, is the Rask part an added soldier name, a new surname chosen?

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    1. Rask was a very typical soldier name, meaning; "spry", "brisk", "quick" and similar.
      So I would doubt it to be a choosen namn.

      Often these kind of soldier names were later something the descendants tried to change because people tend to laugh or make jokes related to these surnames...

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  11. Thank you for your interesting information. I am trying to research the name Neils August brown. I am stuck at the moment. Can you give me any clues as to what the name means, any help would be greatly appreciated.

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    1. Hi Jenny,

      Brown is not a Swedish word or surname.
      Most likely he had a common patronymical surname in Sweden and changed it when emigrating.

      Nils and August are both very common first names here.
      You need to find out more details about him, dates, places and such to be able to properly identify him in the Swedish records.

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    2. Thank you for your help. I will continue to try to find out more about him. all I know now is that he was born on 29 Jan 1848.

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  12. I am researching the family of Alfred J. Fluborg who came to American in 1882. There is no information on where he came from in Sweden. I have tried to vary his name and searched on Castle Garden site without luck. Similar names are Florberg,
    Florborg, Fhelorborg, but none have worked. Any ideas?

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    1. Hi Valerie,
      My guess would be FLOBERG. There is a Johan Alfred Floberg, born 1848 that emigrates to USA in 1882 with his wife Emma Sofia and their son.
      Would probably be quite easy to locate him.

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  13. my family came over from sweden in 1910. There last of my family was Okvist before they moved to the united states, and then it was changed to oquist. My great grandparents come from Pieta Sweden, i was just wondering how common my last name is and any info you might be able to share with me about it.

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    1. Ökvist, Öqvist, Öquist, and similar was considered to be rather common, specially in northern parts of Sweden,

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  14. That sounds very good - where did you find it? Emma was his wife and Elmer was his son. The 1895 Iowa Census provided their names.

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  15. Hi!
    I´m Spanish and I moved to Norway last year. Since I´m here I have realized that my mother´s surname (Gran) is very common here and no so much in Spain, only in my mum´s town. I´ve been reading about it and it semms that is a Swedish surname but I have not any idea how could have been transfered to my mum´s town and I can not fin any information about it...very curious and very interesting!!! :-)

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    1. Hi,
      In Sweden, Gran is equal to Spruce, a very common tree here. Could your possibly be the same as in "Gran Canaria"?

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  16. I just recently started seriously researching my great grandfather Charles Sanburg who immigrated in 1871. He was born in 1845 in Jämshög, Blekinge län as was his wife Ingrid Pettersdotter in 1846. Charles was born as Carl Carlsson and I always thought he changed his name in the US but maybe not. Maybe that would help find his immigration info. Also in 1864 Ingrid had an illegitimate son named Carl whom she brought to the US with her. Ingrid was also illegitimate as was her mother. Was illegitimacy common in Sweden at that time as it was in Germany ?

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    1. Illegitimate children was very common in Sweden from mid 1800 and forward.
      Sanburg is not used here in Sweden, Could possibly be Sandberg, Sundberg, Sandborg, Sundborg and similar that was the origin...

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    2. Thanks Niklas. It seemed that an illegitimate child was no big deal. Also, I always thought that the choice of Sanburg was an attempt to make the name a little less "Swedish" for some reason.

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  17. I have wondered for some time where the Swedish surnames like Rodin, Bodin, Sandin, Wedin, come from. Are they perchance the French connection?

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    1. Usually surnames ending with -in are more popular in northern part of Sweden.
      I think it was originally from when we started to use Latin endings -inius to some surnames, like Sandinius, Wedinius and so on, and later people started to think that it sounded too "old-fashioned" and cut off the -ius and ended up wit a more easier Sandin instead, also it may sounded a bit French and became popular and more widespread.

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  18. Hello. My last name is Unis and I've been told it is Swedish. Can you tell me if this is true and any other information about it? Thank you.

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    1. I have never seen or heard about Unis as a Swedish surname, so my guess it would be from another part of the word or self-invented from a Swede, but not used here...

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  19. I have a great Grandmother who had the last name of Hedberg. She was born in the late 1800's and took the last name of her father. However, as I do Swedish family history, I notice mose use patronymic names. I don't understand where the name Hedberg comes from because it doesn't see to be patronymic. The last male ancestor I have record of is an Axel M. Hedberg, born in 1792 in Narunga, Vastra Gotaland. I have record that he died in 1857. I guess I"m looking for information on the history of the name and also if there is any more information on Axel and his ancestors. Any help appreciated!

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    1. Could be many reasons for a surname to be used and sometimes passed on also to daughters. Hedberg was quite common surname among smiths and also soldiers. A very common surname even today.

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  20. Do you have any idea why my ancestor, Olaf Bengtsson sometimes had Wittlock added to the last name? 1825 he is Olaf Bengtsson Wittlock, then back to just Bengtsson, then back to adding Wittlock in 1839 ... very confusing. His children use Olafsson. I'm trying to make sure I'm heading in the right direction to find his parents.

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    1. Wittlock was probably a military name. Many military names did not pass on to the children, and was used by several, unrelated", soldiers during their time of duty.

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  21. My ancestor was a great hater of Bernadotte. At Bernadotte's death he danced in the streets-and then disappeared. His children were adopted by a minister with the last name Holm. I've been told the family last name is something like Kruzenstolpe. This doesn't sound too Swedish. Has anyone heard this name before?

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    1. Krusenstolpe can be found in a popular book (Bokhandlaren som slutade bada) written by author Fritiof Nilsson Piraten.
      Otherwise I have not heard of it, but it could be a military name also.

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  22. Wow, you have been a big help to so many people! I'm so glad I found your blog, and have quoted you in my notes about 3rd great grandparents Jan Jåder (a soldier born 1783, living 1813 -1845 in Jäders ägor) and Stina Ramberg (born 1777 Ransberg.) I cannot find birth records for either of them with these surnames. Now I know they probably "adopted" those names. The problem is trying to find out and prove who their parents were! I can't tell if Jan was born in Götlunda or Götene because of bad handwriting, but there are no records for births in Götene until 1807. (Because it was established in 1807 or records were lost?) There is only one Jan born in Götlunda (T,U), in 1783, and the parents are Eric Samuelsson and Ingri Abramsdotter. I have no idea how to prove these are or are not his parents.

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    1. Yes, finding parents to soldiers can be hard as they often have changed their surnames and perhaps not have full and complete birthdate noted. Most often you have to backtrace the soldier in household exams if they exists until you find the time when he became a soldier. Or you have to search in military records and hopefully find also notations about the surname he had before being a soldier.

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  23. Hello Niklas,

    I also recently started tracing my Swedish roots. Thanks to a kind man in Skara, I was able to find that the last name in Sweden was Frisk. When they came to America they changed it to Fredeen. Do you have any ideas regarding the two last names?
    Thank you!
    Paul

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    1. Frisk was a common name used on soldiers. Its translated to "Healthy" and in the same category as the soldiers name I mentioned in the article.
      As "Frisk" in English have a totally other meaning, I guess they wanted to change it.
      Fredén is a surname found in Sweden.

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