In the most ancient times, every individual had only one name, their given name. Later, in order to differentiate between people with the same given name, a short description of the person or his origin was added to the given name. For example, Olof the Red Beard, John the Wild, Carl the Red Nose, and Anders from Lida or Lida-Anders. There are many examples of names like this in the Bible: John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, etc.Most cultures also started to use the father's name to separate two individuals to avoid confusion about who a person with a certain given name really was. A second name was added that was derived from that of the person's father or paternal ancestor, usually by the addition of a suffix or prefix meaning "son." These names are what we now call patronymic names.In the patronymic naming system, the suffix "son" is usually attached to the father's given name; however, it is also possible to attach it to the father's occupation (e.g., Clerkson). Sometimes a patronymic name is simply the father's given name (Thomas, Edward) or its genitive form (Edwards).In some cultures the patronymic naming practice varies according to the sex of the child. In the Scandinavian countries, sons receive a patronymic ending of -son (e.g., Andersson) and daughters a form ending in -dotter (e.g., Andersdotter). A similar situation holds true in Russia.In Europe, family names came into use in the later Middle Ages (beginning roughly in the 11th century); the process was completed by the end of the 16th century. The use of family names seems to have originated in aristocratic families and in big cities.
Patronymics
From early times, Sweden has used patronymic surnames. As mentioned above, the father’s first name was used as a part of his children's surname. For example, if a man called Anders Johansson had a son named Karl and a daughter named Karin, these children’s' full names would be: Karl Andersson and Karin Andersdotter. Son = son, and dotter = daughter.Karl was a son of Anders, i.e., Anders's son (Andersson) and Karin was a daughter of Anders, i.e., Anders's dotter (Andersdotter).That's why there is a dual “s,” "i.e., ss," in Swedish "-son" names, Anders's son, or in Swedish, i.e., Anders son = Andersson. To carry the patronymic naming system to the next generation, if Karl Andersson had a son called Peter, then his full name would be Peter Karlsson.The most important identity of a person (in a system with a patronymic naming practice) was his first name; I am Karl (son of Anders). The surname does not indicate a relationship other than among brothers or sisters.Patronymic surnames were in constant use in rural Sweden and among day laborers in urban centers until the 1860's. At that time, it became popular among these groups to adopt a family surname carried from one generation to the next. A lot of families then adopted a name connected to their home village or a name connected to nature. However, the majority just "froze" their patronymic surname as their family name. Since Anders was a popular first name, we have a lot of Andersson families in Sweden.
Marriage and Patronymic Surnames
When a man and a woman married, the woman never adopted her husband’s patronymic name — a name ending with "son." A woman could never be someone's son.If they both had a family name, the woman still kept her family name. If the husband had a family name and the woman a patronymic name, she might change her last name to her husband’s family name. But it was not very likely to occur before the 1800's.It did not become a custom for a woman to adopt her husband's surname until the end of the 1800’s, when most families had adopted family names.Today quite a few Swedish wives do not adopt their husband's surname, but for professional or other reasons, they alternatively adopt their husband's surname while still keeping their own surname, that is, a "double" surname. However, the majority of the wives adopt their husband's surname.The Scandinavian countries were not the only nations using the patronymic naming practice. In Ireland, for example, the prefix O' signifies the "son of" (e.g., O'Brian), as Mac or Mc in Scottish names (e.g., MacDonald), as P- in Welsh names (e.g., Powell - "son of Howel"). The Latin word for son is filius. In the French language, this is fils, fitz in Norman French (e.g., Fitzgerald). In northern Europe, -son or -dotter were added to the father's given name (-son and -datter in Denmark and Norway).Today, Iceland still adheres to the patronymic naming practice.The use of patronymic names in the USA when the country was still under British rule was abolished by a proclamation in 1687. However, it is difficult to order a change in a naming practice, and it took several generations before it was actually abolished among the people.The 15 most common surnames in Sweden in 2015 are "-son" names. The most common is Andersson, followed by Johansson and Karlsson. The most common non "-son" names are Lindberg, followed by Lindström, Lindkvist, and Lindgren.The chart below shows the 15 most common surnames in Sweden as of December 31, 2015. Source: SCB.Source of Information: SCB. See: Last Names in SwedenAntal bärare = Number of people using a specific surname.(SCB = Statistiska Central Byrån [Statistics Sweden])
Swedish naming practices in earlier times, surnames
Clergy
Early in the Catholic era, the clergyman used only his given name preceded by Herr (Sir); for example, Herr Lars, Herr Olof, Herr Hans, etc. In order to differentiate clerics with the same first name, they later started to use Latinized versions of their patronymic names.For example: •Abraham Eriksson = Abrahamus Erici•Erik Steffansson = Ericus Stephani•Lars Johansson = Laurentius Johannis•Anders Henriksson = Andreas Henrici•Olof Karlsson= Olaus CaroliDuring the 17th century, a Latinized form of their birthplace became a common naming practice for the clergy. A clergy student did not adopt his "clergy name" until he became a clergy. This means that they normally had a patronymic name before their ordination. Beware of this when tracing the roots of ancestors who were clergy.Examples of names with places of origin:Andreas Pauli Helsingus:From Hälsingland province (X) Abrahamus Angermannus:From Ångermanland province (Y) Laurentius Andreæ Gevaliensis:From Gävle City (X) Johannes Danielis Tunensis:From Tuna parishLaurentius Christophori Hornaeus:From Hornön (Härnösand) (Y)Ericus Andreae Wattrangius:From Vattrang parish (X)Olaus Hernodius:From Härnösand (Y)Another popular method was to have the name end with "ander," the Greek word for man. For example: Alander, Björkander, Carlander Dalander, Elander, Gullander, Hållander, Insulander, Jullander, Kilander, Lysander, Mellander, Nylander, Svenander, Ulander, Vikander, and Wallander.The latinizing of first names as well as surnames was not only used by the clergy but also most of the learned men, such as university professors, scientists, mathematicians, etc.
Nobility
Originally, the patronymic names were also used by nobility. The nobility was a privileged class who declared loyalty to the ruler and served him by equipping a number of soldiers and cavalry. In return, the nobility were exempted from taxes. In Sweden, they were also known as "frälse" or "stormän."The nobility were large landowners. The nobility in Sweden was not formed as an independent class until the 13th century. At that time they started to support the rulers and, in return, were granted special privileges.In the Alsnö decree of 1280 (1279), the nobility and their privileges were determined. The parliamentary meeting of 1435 in the city of Arboga is considered to be the first parliament meeting in Sweden. At that meeting, the nobility was represented as their own estate (one of four estates). The term "adel" (nobility) was not used until the middle of the 16th century. At that time the nobility were given special titles by the King, titles like "Greve" — Count (Earl in the UK) and "Friherre" — Baron.In 1625, the House of the Nobility ("Riddarhuset") was established, and from that year forward, all the noble family names had to be registered by the House. It was called to "introduce the name to the House of the Nobility." The year a noble family was introduced to the "Riddarhuset" counts as the starting year for the family as a noble family.When the privileges of nobility were first handed out, the noble families were using patronymic names. When they were given their patent of nobility and privileges, they also were given a coat of arms on which were emblazoned heraldic symbols. From these symbols, the noble family names slowly evolved. For example, the noble family Uggla (Owl) had an owl on its escutcheon, and the Svinhufvud family had a head of a pig (svin=pig/hog, hufvud=head), the Hummerhielm family a lobster (hummer=lobster), the Leijonhufvud family three heads of lions (leijon = lion, hufvud=head), etc.The names of the noble families follow some typical patterns. The names often included names of animals (lion, falcon, pig, etc.), parts of the body (arm, head, etc.), stars, crowns, shields, helmets, golden, or mountain, etc. The names could be just one word (Uggla = Owl), but often they were combinations of two expressions (Leionhufvud = Lion Head). In the 18th century, the word "von" or "af" became a part of the noble names. In this context, these words meant "of." For example, Carl von Linné or Henrik af Klintberg. The name after "von" or "af" was normally then a name of a place, an estate, etc., such as Carl of Linné or Henrik of Klintberg.Before the 17th century, the noble names were often combined with their patronymic names. For example, Bo Johansson Grip. His patronymic name was Johansson, and his noble name was Grip. The Swedish King Gustav Vasa was known as Gustav Eriksson (son of Erik). The noble name was Vasa; the family had a bunch of fasces as a symbol on their coat of arms (Vase or vasakärve = fasce, kärve=sheaf). The name "Vasa" was added later to the name.At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, the patronymic names were more or less abandoned by the nobility and clergy. The development of town guilds was a starting point for craftsmen to adopt special surnames. Below are a number of typical names of the nobility. The names are often spelled in old Swedish.
•af Söderberg•Boije af Gennäs•af Geijerstam•af Klinteberg•af Trolle
Example of Swedish noble
names with foreign origin or
influence:
•Lewenhaupt•De la Gardie•Wachtmeister•Creutz•Cronstedt•Fleetwood•Hamilton•Staël von Holstein
Craftsmen
When a person entered some sort of trade, he had to start as an apprentice (lärling) by a master craftsman (mästare) in order to learn the basics of the craft. After creating a qualifying piece of work (gesällprov), he became a journeyman (gesäll). Of course, the work had to be approved by a board of masters in the guild. The approval was documented in the journeyman's diploma (gesällbrevet).In order to improve as a craftsman and to get experience of the trade, the journeymen did travel around, both in Sweden and abroad, to work with different masters. Only masters could take on journeymen. This journey that the “gesäll” did was called “gesällvandring.”The system of journeymen was also a way to make sure the master craftsmen had enough labor. The journeymen were normally not married and lived in the master's household.In order to operate as an independent craftsman, the journeyman had to become a master (mäster). First, the journeyman had to be approved as a master by the guild (Skrå); he had to be skilled enough. To prove his skills, he had to pass an exam, to do a qualifying piece of work. This exam was called the “mästarprovet.”"Mästarbrevet" was a master craftsman's diploma or certificate. You had to be a member of a guild in order to work as a master craftsman, and only the guild had the right to approve of masters. As a master, he could train his own journeymen. The power of the guild system was strengthened in 1621. All trades and handicraft outside the guilds were forbidden from that year forward. The guild system was abolished in 1846; however, all individuals could not freely practice a craft until 1864.The guilds in France were abolished in 1791, and most of the European countries followed during the 1800's.Also after 1846, when the system with guilds was abolished in Sweden, master craftsmen took on apprentices and journeymen to train them. The title "gesäll" was abolished in 1864, but associations of master craftsmen (hantverksföreningar) still appointed journeymen and their diplomas, the "gesällbrev," after that year. Also, the "journey" the journeymen did to work for different masters was still in practice until the beginning of the 20th century.The word craftsman is not a professional title but rather a group name for persons working with crafts — maters and journeymen.
Towns and Cities
Craftsmen could only work in the towns and cities. However, in order to practice as a craftsman in a city, you needed a license from the city (burskap). The Swedish word for a town or a city is "stad." One way of defining a "stad" is: an urban place with the right to do trading and keep craftsmen. An urban place could only be granted a Town Charter ("stadsrättigheter" or "stadsprivilegier") by the King. Without the Charter, no trading.A town wall with guarded gates normally surrounded a ”stad.” Everyone bringing merchandise into a town or city had to pay a toll (stadstull). The toll was introduced in 1622 and was not abolished until 1810.
The Countryside
Trading was not accepted in the countryside, so the craftsmen lived in the towns and cities.The farmers were, of course, doing handicrafts, but trading was not really allowed in the countryside. In the 1680's, the authorities did allow some craftsmen to work in the countryside, first of all tailors, blacksmiths, and shoemakers. During the 18th century, more craftsmen were allowed to work on the country side. These craftsmen were called "sockenhantverkare" (parish- or local craftsmen) and were only licensed to work in one parish (socken) at a time. It was the local socken council (sockenstämman) that appointed the local craftsmen (sockenhantverkare).The local craftsmen were not members of a guild like the city craftsmen, and they were not demanded to have any documented qualifications like a journeymen certificate (gesällbrev).In the Decree for Freedom of Trade (näringsfrihetsförordningen) of 1846, all types of tradesmen and craftsmen received permission to operate in the countryside.
Naming Custom
During the era in Sweden called the New Age (Nya tiden), i.e., after 1521, the urban population began to adopt family names following foreign customs. Among the names adopted within the Burghers, German occupational names such as Schneider (tailor) and Müller or Möller (miller) stand out. They abandoned the patronymic system, and it became common for craftsmen to adopt different surnames that were typical within their trade. Normally, however, these "professional names" were not adopted until one had completed and passed the journeyman's exam (gesällprovet). Until then, in other words, people had their patronymics. The craftsmen's surnames were often derived from names of trees or from names associated with various forms in nature (topographical name forms) and were often multisyllabic. The linden tree was a common element in craft names.Example of craft names with the name of a tree species in their surname:
As early as in the first half of the 17th century, soldiers were already being assigned special surnames. A system of soldier names was fully introduced in the 1680s. Around 1686, the new names begin to appear in the rolls. Upon employment, the new soldier was assigned a soldier name by his company commander. The soldier's name would be unique within the company. However, the same name could appear in other companies within the regiment. The reason the military started using special names for the soldiers was that there were too many soldiers within each company with the same patronymic. When giving an order to a specific soldier, one wanted him to act, and it was therefore not appropriate for several soldiers to have the same name. Therefore there could be several soldiers named "Attack" within a regiment but only one soldier with the name Attack in a specific company. This meant that many soldiers in a regiment over a period of time could have used the same name. That doesn't mean they were related.These soldier names were of special character; many of the names had a military touch. These names were usually monosyllabic. Example of Army soldier names:
Other names were adopted from the world of animals, names like Mård - Marten, Järv - Wolverine, Hjort - Deer, Örn - Eagle, etc. Another set of names were adopted from names of trees such as Al - Alder, Alm - Elm, Ek - Oak, Gran - Spruce, Björk - Birch, Lind - Linden, Syrén - Lilac, etc.However, the largest group of soldier names was adopted from the name of the soldier's croft (cottage) or from the name of the soldier ward (Swe: soldat rote). Those names were similar to the craft names, for example, Sundin, Blackberg, Bårström, Brolin, Brunnberg, Beckman, Fagerberg, Kihlström, Sjölund, Malmberg, Lid, Snytberg, etc. The previously noted names are examples of soldier names in the Södermanland Regiment.In the Navy, the names were often associated with nautical terms, for example:
Please note that the soldier names were occupational names linked to the profession. The name was used in his role as a soldier. His children were still using their patronymic name, not the father’s soldier name. When a soldier was discharged or retired, he usually resumed his patronymic name. However, during the second half of the 19th century, it was not unusual for the soldiers to keep their soldier name after retirement as family names.Observe, on a particular soldier croft (cottage), there could be several consecutive soldiers with the same soldier name. This does not necessarily mean that they were related, but only that they were assigned the same soldier name. This is something to be aware of when doing genealogical research on soldiers.More information about Soldiers and soldier names.
Farm Names
A farm name (gårdsnamn) is primary the name of a certain farm or estate. However, it can also stand for the people living on that farm. In other words, farm names served as a complement to the patronymic names used by rural people in order to separate persons with the same names. In former times, a very limited number of names and patronymics were used among the peasants. There could therefore often be several people with the same name, for example Ander Andersson, in the same village or parish. There was therefore a great need for distinctive names. A farm name could work in this way.In the Swedish countryside, the farm name was usually placed at the end of the name. In Dalarna and some neighboring areas, however, the farm name was and still is placed before the first name. However, it also occurs that the farm name is written as a genitive attributive word.
At the end of the name
There are two principles how the farm names were used as a complement to people’s names. In most places the farm name was placed last in a person’s name, for example Anders i Backen (Anders from the farm Backen) andKerstin Bengtsdotter vid Dammen (Kerstin Bengtsdotter from the farm Dammen).
In front of the name
In Dalarna province (and surrounding areas), on the other hand, the farm name was placed in front of a person’s first name as a genitive attributive word, for example, Grudd Olof Bengtsson (from the farm Grudd), Busk Margit Jonsson (from the farm Busk), and Damm Anna Persdotter (from the farm Damm).In certain areas there could be many persons with the same name, i.e., people with the same first and last name. Hereby, the use of farm names was used to separate persons with identical first and last names.When the practice of farm names as being part of a person’s name once was established, it followed the farm. So when a man got married to a woman and that woman had inherited a farm, and the couple then settled down on the woman’s farm, the husband took the farm name of that farm. That means that he changed his name to include the new farm name in his full name instead of his old farm name.For example, if Grudd Olof Bengtsson married Damm Anna Persdotter and then settled down at her farm Damm, then Olof’s full name now would be Damm Olof Bengtsson instead of Grudd Olof Bengtsson.The end of the Patronymic Era
Transition to Family Names
Patronymics were widely used among rural people until the 1860s. At this time, many people started taking family names. It became increasingly common for people to change their patronymic to a family name, even among peasants. In the beginning, there were only a few that changed their patronymic, but then it became increasingly common. It should be noted that most people who took a family name kept their patronymic as their family name. For example, a person with the patronymic Andersson simply took the name Andersson as their family name and thus the children received the same surname as the father, i.e. Andersson. However, many chose to take a new name. These new names, which many people now adopted in the countryside, were very similar to the craft names used in the towns, i.e., surnames taken from the names of trees or from names associated with various forms in nature (topographical forms of names) and were often multi-syllabic. Other common name forms had to do with the name of the place they were born in or lived in. In some areas, certain names were more popular than in others. In other words, many people in the same area could take the same surname without being related. My own surname Högman comes from the village name Högland in Ljustorp parish, Medelpad. There were many people in this village who took the same surname. So, the fact that many people in the same place took the same surname does not mean that they were related!With the move from patronymics to family names, married women began to adopt the same surname as their husbands.At that time (1800s), there were no formal rules governing the taking of family names. In principle, all you had to do was go to the local parish minister and state what surname you wanted. No formal application to the authorities was required.Siblings could adopt family names at different times, and it was not unusual for siblings to adopt different family names.In my own family, my paternal great-grandfather's father was called Erik Larsson. He had three sons, Lars, Jonas, and Anders. They were born between 1842 and 1851 and lived in the village of Frötuna, Ljustorp parish, Medelpad. All three brothers had the patronymic Ersson during their youth. Lars, who was the eldest, took over the family farm and adopted the family nameFrölander after the village name Frötuna. The other two brothers, Jonas and my paternal great-grandfather Anders, lived in the 1870s in the village of Högland, Ljustorp. The village is located on a mountain slope, hence the name Högland (High Land). Both Anders and Jonas adopted the family name Högman, which originates from the village name Högland. In other words, the three brothers adopted different family names, the eldest Frölander and the two younger Högman. In Högland, several people adopted the name Högman as their family name at this time. These people were not related to my brothers Högman.When doing genealogical research, you must be aware that a person may have had different surnames during their lifetime, especially if it concerns the second half of the 19th century. Furthermore, siblings may have had different surnames.The occupational names of craftsmen, soldiers, and even parish ministers and scholars were not normally inherited by the children. If a son followed in his father's footsteps and practiced the same profession, he could take the same name as his father. Otherwise, patronymics were generally used for children. However, during the 19th century, it became increasingly common for the children of these groups to also have the same surname as the father.I occasionally receive questions from Americans with Swedish roots about their ancestors' surnames. Why did they choose this particular surname, where does it come from, and what does it mean? They simply do not understand why the ancestors chose this particular surname. However, one must remember that this happened during a transitional period in Sweden when people abandoned their patronymics and instead adopted family names. The answer to why a certain surname was chosen is rarely complicated. One simply chose a surname they liked —a name that sounded good. Names are names and rarely need to be analyzed in depth.
The 1901 Name Act
In 1901, a name regulation (the Name Act) was adopted, which came to regulate the taking of family names. The Name Regulation, however, did not include an obligation to adopt family names. A common misconception is that the use of patronymics was banned with the Name Act of 1901. It wasn’t. But Swedes with patronymic names were encouraged to adopt family names after 1901. However, it had now socially become customary, even in rural areas, to convert their patronymics into family names.What was restricted by the Name Act, however, was the previously informal and completely free right to adopt family names. Now the taking of family names was to be regulated. Previously it had been rather free to adopt a new name; now the procedure was formalized.Only in the 1963 Name Act was it stipulated that all Swedish people were required to use family names. It was now that it became forbidden to use patronymics.An amendment to the 1901 Act, passed in 1920, stated that married women had to carry the same surname as their respective husbands. This amendment was abolished in the 1963 Name Act. The 1963 Act also abolished the use of double surnames (hyphened names). However, in the new Names Adoption Act of 2017, double surnames are again allowed.More information about Name Laws in Sweden
Surnames of children born out of wedlock
There were no set rules for giving surnames to children born out of wedlock. If the father was "known," the child would generally receive a patronymic based on the father's first name. If the father had a family name, the child would probably inherit this name.If the father was “unknown” ("fader okänd" in the birth records), the child usually received a different surname. If the mother had a family name, the child could inherit it. If not, adopt a patronymic name based on the maternal grandfather’s first name. The child could also receive a surname based on the mother's first name, known as a metronymic. If the mother was named Karin, the child could be given the name Karinsdotter if it was a girl or Karinsson if it was a boy. Karinsdotter means daughter of Karin and Karinsson, son of Karin.
Names of Swedish immigrants in the United States
There is a widespread myth that the spelling of the immigrants’ surnames were changed at Ellis Island. They were not.The legend goes that the officials at Ellis Island, unfamiliar with the many languages and nationalities of the people arriving at Ellis Island, would change the names of those immigrants that sounded foreign or unusual.However, this is not true; inspectors did not create records of immigration; rather, they checked the names of the immigrants against those recorded in the ship's manifest. The manifests were made up by the steamship companies and presented to the officials at Ellis Island when the ships arrived. Immigrant inspectors at Ellis Island simply accepted the names as recorded in the ship's manifests and never altered them unless persuaded that a mistake had been made in the spelling or rendering of the name. Immigration authorities had numerous interpreters to question immigrants if necessary to satisfy any question they might have. They were more concerned with the truthfulness of answers than the actual spelling of names. The immigration clerk had the manifest in front of him when an immigrant approached the desk in the Great Hall. The clerk then proceeded, usually through interpreters, to ask questions based on those found in the manifest. Their goal was to make sure that the answers matched. The manifests did not only list the passengers’ names but also personal details (they were a sort of questionnaire) with information given by each immigrant. From 1855, all shipping lines were required to use these manifests with the information the US Immigration demanded about each immigrant.Although it is always possible that the names of passengers were spelled wrong, perhaps by the ship’s officers when the manifests were drawn up, it is more likely that immigrants were their own agents of change. Often the immigrants themselves wanted to “Americanize” or, in another way, change their names. This was either done in Sweden before departure or in the USA after arrival. Many choose to adopt a family name instead of their patronymics and then often adopted a name that worked in English. Further, patronymics could be misunderstood in the US since the children in a system with patronymics do not have the same surname as the father. The children would then be taken for illegitimate children, which was as bad in the US as in Sweden. Also, in a system with patronymics, the husband and wife do not carry the same surname, which could be misunderstood in the US as if they were not married. It was therefore common that the wife adopted the same surname as the husband before they emigrated from Sweden.
Americanization of Names
Males: Anders became Andrew, Nils became Nels, Bernt became Bent, Karl or Carl became Charles, Gustav became Gust, etc. Females: Karin became Karen, Maria became Mary, Anna became Anne, Märta became Martha, Kristina became Christine, etc. The surname Svensson became Swanson or Swenson, Bergström became Bergstrom, Bengtsson became Benson, Johansson became Johnson, Söderlund became Soderlund, and Andersson became Anderson (with one "s"). Some even translated their family name into English, for example, Östman into Eastman, Högman into Highman, Stål into Steel, Ljungdahl into Youngdahl, etc.Another group completely changed their surnames and adopted typical American names like Wilson, Rodgers, Brown, Harrison, etc.
In the most ancient times, every individual had only one name, their given name. Later, in order to differentiate between people with the same given name, a short description of the person or his origin was added to the given name. For example, Olof the Red Beard, John the Wild, Carl the Red Nose, and Anders from Lida or Lida-Anders. There are many examples of names like this in the Bible: John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, etc.Most cultures also started to use the father's name to separate two individuals to avoid confusion about who a person with a certain given name really was. A second name was added that was derived from that of the person's father or paternal ancestor, usually by the addition of a suffix or prefix meaning "son." These names are what we now call patronymic names.In the patronymic naming system, the suffix "son" is usually attached to the father's given name; however, it is also possible to attach it to the father's occupation (e.g., Clerkson). Sometimes a patronymic name is simply the father's given name (Thomas, Edward) or its genitive form (Edwards).In some cultures the patronymic naming practice varies according to the sex of the child. In the Scandinavian countries, sons receive a patronymic ending of -son (e.g., Andersson) and daughters a form ending in -dotter (e.g., Andersdotter). A similar situation holds true in Russia.In Europe, family names came into use in the later Middle Ages (beginning roughly in the 11th century); the process was completed by the end of the 16th century. The use of family names seems to have originated in aristocratic families and in big cities.
Patronymics
From early times, Sweden has used patronymic surnames. As mentioned above, the father’s first name was used as a part of his children's surname. For example, if a man called Anders Johansson had a son named Karl and a daughter named Karin, these children’s' full names would be: Karl Andersson and Karin Andersdotter. Son = son, and dotter = daughter.Karl was a son of Anders, i.e., Anders's son(Andersson) and Karin was a daughter of Anders, i.e., Anders's dotter (Andersdotter).That's why there is a dual “s,” "i.e., ss," in Swedish"-son" names, Anders's son, or in Swedish, i.e., Anders son = Andersson. To carry the patronymic naming system to the next generation, if Karl Andersson had a son called Peter, then his full name would be Peter Karlsson.The most important identity of a person (in a system with a patronymic naming practice) was his first name; I am Karl (son of Anders). The surname does not indicate a relationship other than among brothers or sisters.Patronymic surnames were in constant use in rural Sweden and among day laborers in urban centers until the 1860's. At that time, it became popular among these groups to adopt a family surname carried from one generation to the next. A lot of families then adopted a name connected to their home village or a name connected to nature. However, the majority just "froze" their patronymic surname as their family name. Since Anders was a popular first name, we have a lot of Andersson families in Sweden.
Marriage and Patronymic Surnames
When a man and a woman married, the woman never adopted her husband’s patronymic name — a name ending with "son." A woman could never be someone's son.If they both had a family name, the woman still kept her family name. If the husband had a family name and the woman a patronymic name, she might change her last name to her husband’s family name. But it was not very likely to occur before the 1800's.It did not become a custom for a woman to adopt her husband's surname until the end of the 1800’s, when most families had adopted family names.Today quite a few Swedish wives do not adopt their husband's surname, but for professional or other reasons, they alternatively adopt their husband's surname while still keeping their own surname, that is, a "double" surname. However, the majority of the wives adopt their husband's surname.The Scandinavian countries were not the only nations using the patronymic naming practice. In Ireland, for example, the prefix O' signifies the "son of" (e.g., O'Brian), as Mac or Mc in Scottish names (e.g., MacDonald), as P- in Welsh names (e.g., Powell - "son of Howel"). The Latin word for son is filius. In the French language, this is fils, fitz in Norman French (e.g., Fitzgerald). In northern Europe, -son or -dotter were added to the father's given name (-son and -datter in Denmark and Norway).Today, Iceland still adheres to the patronymic naming practice.The use of patronymic names in the USA when the country was still under British rule was abolished by a proclamation in 1687. However, it is difficult to order a change in a naming practice, and it took several generations before it was actually abolished among the people.The 15 most common surnames in Sweden in 2015 are "-son" names. The most common is Andersson, followed by Johansson and Karlsson. The most common non "-son" names are Lindberg, followed by Lindström, Lindkvist, and Lindgren.The chart below shows the 15 most common surnames in Sweden as of December 31, 2015. Source: SCB.Source of Information: SCB. See: Last Names in SwedenAntal bärare = Number of people using a specific surname.(SCB = Statistiska Central Byrån [Statistics Sweden])
Early in the Catholic era, the clergyman used only his given name preceded by Herr (Sir); for example, Herr Lars, Herr Olof, Herr Hans, etc. In order to differentiate clerics with the same first name, they later started to use Latinized versions of their patronymic names.For example: •Abraham Eriksson = Abrahamus Erici•Erik Steffansson = Ericus Stephani•Lars Johansson = Laurentius Johannis•Anders Henriksson = Andreas Henrici•Olof Karlsson= Olaus CaroliDuring the 17th century, a Latinized form of their birthplace became a common naming practice for the clergy. A clergy student did not adopt his "clergy name" until he became a clergy. This means that they normally had a patronymic name before their ordination. Beware of this when tracing the roots of ancestors who were clergy.Examples of names with places of origin:Andreas Pauli Helsingus:From Hälsingland province (X) Abrahamus Angermannus:From Ångermanland province (Y) Laurentius Andreæ Gevaliensis:From Gävle City (X) Johannes Danielis Tunensis:From Tuna parishLaurentius Christophori Hornaeus:From Hornön (Härnösand) (Y)Ericus Andreae Wattrangius:From Vattrang parish (X)Olaus Hernodius:From Härnösand (Y)Another popular method was to have the name end with "ander," the Greek word for man. For example: Alander, Björkander, Carlander Dalander, Elander, Gullander, Hållander, Insulander, Jullander, Kilander, Lysander, Mellander, Nylander, Svenander, Ulander, Vikander, and Wallander.The latinizing of first names as well as surnames was not only used by the clergy but also most of the learned men, such as university professors, scientists, mathematicians, etc.
Nobility
Originally, the patronymic names were also used by nobility. The nobility was a privileged class who declared loyalty to the ruler and served him by equipping a number of soldiers and cavalry. In return, the nobility were exempted from taxes. In Sweden, they were also known as "frälse" or "stormän."The nobility were large landowners. The nobility in Sweden was not formed as an independent class until the 13th century. At that time they started to support the rulers and, in return, were granted special privileges.In the Alsnö decree of 1280 (1279), the nobility and their privileges were determined. The parliamentary meeting of 1435 in the city of Arboga is considered to be the first parliament meeting in Sweden. At that meeting, the nobility was represented as their own estate (one of four estates). The term "adel" (nobility) was not used until the middle of the 16th century. At that time the nobility were given special titles by the King, titles like "Greve" — Count (Earl in the UK) and "Friherre" — Baron.In 1625, the House of the Nobility ("Riddarhuset") was established, and from that year forward, all the noble family names had to be registered by the House. It was called to "introduce the name to the House of the Nobility." The year a noble family was introduced to the "Riddarhuset" counts as the starting year for the family as a noble family.When the privileges of nobility were first handed out, the noble families were using patronymic names. When they were given their patent of nobility and privileges, they also were given a coat of arms on which were emblazoned heraldic symbols. From these symbols, the noble family names slowly evolved. For example, the noble family Uggla (Owl) had an owl on its escutcheon, and the Svinhufvud family had a head of a pig (svin=pig/hog, hufvud=head), the Hummerhielm family a lobster (hummer=lobster), the Leijonhufvud family three heads of lions (leijon = lion, hufvud=head), etc.The names of the noble families follow some typical patterns. The names often included names of animals (lion, falcon, pig, etc.), parts of the body (arm, head, etc.), stars, crowns, shields, helmets, golden, or mountain, etc. The names could be just one word (Uggla = Owl), but often they were combinations of two expressions (Leionhufvud = Lion Head). In the 18th century, the word "von" or "af" became a part of the noble names. In this context, these words meant "of." For example, Carl von Linné or Henrik af Klintberg. The name after "von" or "af" was normally then a name of a place, an estate, etc., such as Carl of Linné or Henrik of Klintberg.Before the 17th century, the noble names were often combined with their patronymic names. For example, Bo Johansson Grip. His patronymic name was Johansson, and his noble name was Grip. The Swedish King Gustav Vasa was known as Gustav Eriksson (son of Erik). The noble name was Vasa; the family had a bunch of fasces as a symbol on their coat of arms (Vase or vasakärve = fasce, kärve=sheaf). The name "Vasa" was added later to the name.At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, the patronymic names were more or less abandoned by the nobility and clergy. The development of town guilds was a starting point for craftsmen to adopt special surnames. Below are a number of typical names of the nobility. The names are often spelled in old Swedish.
•af Söderberg•Boije af Gennäs•af Geijerstam•af Klinteberg•af Trolle
Example of Swedish
noble names with
foreign origin or
influence:
•Lewenhaupt•De la Gardie•Wachtmeister•Creutz•Cronstedt•Fleetwood•Hamilton•Staël von Holstein
Craftsmen
When a person entered some sort of trade, he had to start as an apprentice (lärling) by a master craftsman (mästare) in order to learn the basics of the craft. After creating a qualifying piece of work(gesällprov), he became a journeyman (gesäll). Of course, the work had to be approved by a board of masters in the guild. The approval was documented in the journeyman's diploma (gesällbrevet).In order to improve as a craftsman and to get experience of the trade, the journeymen did travel around, both in Sweden and abroad, to work with different masters. Only masters could take on journeymen. This journey that the “gesäll” did was called “gesällvandring.”The system of journeymen was also a way to make sure the master craftsmen had enough labor. The journeymen were normally not married and lived in the master's household.In order to operate as an independent craftsman, the journeyman had to become a master (mäster). First, the journeyman had to be approved as a master by the guild (Skrå); he had to be skilled enough. To prove his skills, he had to pass an exam, to do a qualifying piece of work. This exam was called the “mästarprovet.”"Mästarbrevet" was a master craftsman's diploma or certificate. You had to be a member of a guild in order to work as a master craftsman, and only the guild had the right to approve of masters. As a master, he could train his own journeymen. The power of the guild system was strengthened in 1621. All trades and handicraft outside the guilds were forbidden from that year forward. The guild system was abolished in 1846; however, all individuals could not freely practice a craft until 1864.The guilds in France were abolished in 1791, and most of the European countries followed during the 1800's.Also after 1846, when the system with guilds was abolished in Sweden, master craftsmen took on apprentices and journeymen to train them. The title "gesäll" was abolished in 1864, but associations of master craftsmen (hantverksföreningar) still appointed journeymen and their diplomas, the "gesällbrev," after that year. Also, the "journey" the journeymen did to work for different masters was still in practice until the beginning of the 20th century.The word craftsman is not a professional title but rather a group name for persons working with crafts — maters and journeymen.
Towns and Cities
Craftsmen could only work in the towns and cities.However, in order to practice as a craftsman in a city, you needed a license from the city (burskap). The Swedish word for a town or a city is "stad." One way of defining a "stad" is: an urban place with the right to do trading and keep craftsmen. An urban place could only be granted a Town Charter ("stadsrättigheter" or "stadsprivilegier") by the King. Without the Charter, no trading.A town wall with guarded gates normally surrounded a ”stad.” Everyone bringing merchandise into a town or city had to pay a toll (stadstull). The toll was introduced in 1622 and was not abolished until 1810.
The Countryside
Trading was not accepted in the countryside, so the craftsmen lived in the towns and cities.The farmers were, of course, doing handicrafts, but trading was not really allowed in the countryside. In the 1680's, the authorities did allow some craftsmen to work in the countryside, first of all tailors, blacksmiths, and shoemakers. During the 18th century, more craftsmen were allowed to work on the country side. These craftsmen were called "sockenhantverkare" (parish- or local craftsmen) and were only licensed to work in one parish (socken) at a time. It was the local socken council (sockenstämman) that appointed the local craftsmen (sockenhantverkare).The local craftsmen were not members of a guild like the city craftsmen, and they were not demanded to have any documented qualifications like a journeymen certificate (gesällbrev).In the Decree for Freedom of Trade (näringsfrihetsförordningen) of 1846, all types of tradesmen and craftsmen received permission to operate in the countryside.
Naming Custom
During the era in Sweden called the New Age (Nya tiden), i.e., after 1521, the urban population began to adopt family names following foreign customs. Among the names adopted within the Burghers, German occupational names such as Schneider (tailor) and Müller or Möller (miller) stand out. They abandoned the patronymic system, and it became common for craftsmen to adopt different surnames that were typical within their trade. Normally, however, these "professional names" were not adopted until one had completed and passed the journeyman's exam (gesällprovet). Until then, in other words, people had their patronymics. The craftsmen's surnames were often derived from names of trees or from names associated with various forms in nature (topographical name forms) and were often multisyllabic. The linden tree was a common element in craft names.Example of craft names with the name of a tree species in their surname:
As early as in the first half of the 17th century, soldiers were already being assigned special surnames. A system of soldier names was fully introduced in the 1680s. Around 1686, the new names begin to appear in the rolls. Upon employment, the new soldier was assigned a soldier name by his company commander. The soldier's name would be unique within the company. However, the same name could appear in other companies within the regiment. The reason the military started using special names for the soldiers was that there were too many soldiers within each company with the same patronymic. When giving an order to a specific soldier, one wanted him to act, and it was therefore not appropriate for several soldiers to have the same name. Therefore there could be several soldiers named "Attack" within a regiment but only one soldier with the name Attack in a specific company. This meant that many soldiers in a regiment over a period of time could have used the same name. That doesn't mean they were related.These soldier names were of special character; many of the names had a military touch. These names were usually monosyllabic. Example of Army soldier names:
Other names were adopted from the world of animals, names like Mård - Marten, Järv - Wolverine, Hjort - Deer, Örn - Eagle, etc. Another set of names were adopted from names of trees such as Al - Alder, Alm - Elm, Ek - Oak, Gran - Spruce, Björk - Birch, Lind - Linden, Syrén - Lilac, etc.However, the largest group of soldier names was adopted from the name of the soldier's croft (cottage) or from the name of the soldier ward (Swe: soldat rote). Those names were similar to the craft names, for example, Sundin, Blackberg, Bårström, Brolin, Brunnberg, Beckman, Fagerberg, Kihlström, Sjölund, Malmberg, Lid, Snytberg, etc. The previously noted names are examples of soldier names in the Södermanland Regiment.In the Navy, the names were often associated with nautical terms, for example:
Please note that the soldier names were occupational names linked to the profession. The name was used in his role as a soldier. His children were still using their patronymic name, not the father’s soldier name. When a soldier was discharged or retired, he usually resumed his patronymic name. However, during the second half of the 19th century, it was not unusual for the soldiers to keep their soldier name after retirement as family names.Observe, on a particular soldier croft (cottage), there could be several consecutive soldiers with the same soldier name. This does not necessarily mean that they were related, but only that they were assigned the same soldier name. This is something to be aware of when doing genealogical research on soldiers.More information about Soldiers and soldier names.
Farm Names
A farm name (gårdsnamn) is primary the name of a certain farm or estate. However, it can also stand for the people living on that farm. In other words, farm names served as a complement to the patronymic names used by rural people in order to separate persons with the same names. In former times, a very limited number of names and patronymics were used among the peasants. There could therefore often be several people with the same name, for example Ander Andersson, in the same village or parish. There was therefore a great need for distinctive names. A farm name could work in this way.In the Swedish countryside, the farm name was usually placed at the end of the name. In Dalarna and some neighboring areas, however, the farm name was and still is placed before the first name. However, it also occurs that the farm name is written as a genitive attributive word.
At the end of the name
There are two principles how the farm names were used as a complement to people’s names. In most places the farm name was placed last in a person’s name, for example Anders i Backen (Anders from the farm Backen) and Kerstin Bengtsdotter vid Dammen (Kerstin Bengtsdotter from the farm Dammen).
In front of the name
In Dalarna province (and surrounding areas), on the other hand, the farm name was placed in front of a person’s first name as a genitive attributive word, for example, Grudd Olof Bengtsson (from the farm Grudd), Busk Margit Jonsson (from the farm Busk), and Damm Anna Persdotter (from the farm Damm).In certain areas there could be many persons with the same name, i.e., people with the same first and last name. Hereby, the use of farm names was used to separate persons with identical first and last names.When the practice of farm names as being part of a person’s name once was established, it followed the farm. So when a man got married to a woman and that woman had inherited a farm, and the couple then settled down on the woman’s farm, the husband took the farm name of that farm. That means that he changed his name to include the new farm name in his full name instead of his old farm name.For example, if Grudd Olof Bengtsson married Damm Anna Persdotter and then settled down at her farm Damm, then Olof’s full name now would be Damm Olof Bengtsson instead of Grudd Olof Bengtsson.The end of the Patronymic Era
Transition to Family Names
Patronymics were widely used among rural people until the 1860s. At this time, many people started taking family names. It became increasingly common for people to change their patronymic to a family name, even among peasants. In the beginning, there were only a few that changed their patronymic, but then it became increasingly common. It should be noted that most people who took a family name kept their patronymic as their family name. For example, a person with the patronymic Andersson simply took the name Andersson as their family name and thus the children received the same surname as the father, i.e. Andersson. However, many chose to take a new name. These new names, which many people now adopted in the countryside, were very similar to the craft names used in the towns, i.e., surnames taken from the names of trees or from names associated with various forms in nature (topographical forms of names) and were often multi-syllabic. Other common name forms had to do with the name of the place they were born in or lived in. In some areas, certain names were more popular than in others. In other words, many people in the same area could take the same surname without being related. My own surname Högman comes from the village name Högland in Ljustorp parish, Medelpad. There were many people in this village who took the same surname. So, the fact that many people in the same place took the same surname does not mean that they were related!With the move from patronymics to family names, married women began to adopt the same surname as their husbands.At that time (1800s), there were no formal rules governing the taking of family names. In principle, all you had to do was go to the local parish minister and state what surname you wanted. No formal application to the authorities was required.Siblings could adopt family names at different times, and it was not unusual for siblings to adopt different family names.In my own family, my paternal great-grandfather's father was called Erik Larsson. He had three sons, Lars, Jonas, and Anders. They were born between 1842 and 1851 and lived in the village of Frötuna, Ljustorp parish, Medelpad. All three brothers had the patronymic Erssonduring their youth. Lars, who was the eldest, took over the family farm and adopted the family nameFrölander after the village name Frötuna. The other two brothers, Jonas and my paternal great-grandfather Anders, lived in the 1870s in the village of Högland, Ljustorp. The village is located on a mountain slope, hence the name Högland (High Land). Both Anders and Jonas adopted the family name Högman, which originates from the village name Högland. In other words, the three brothers adopted different family names, the eldest Frölander and the two younger Högman. In Högland, several people adopted the name Högman as their family name at this time. These people were not related to my brothers Högman.When doing genealogical research, you must be aware that a person may have had different surnames during their lifetime, especially if it concerns the second half of the 19th century. Furthermore, siblings may have had different surnames.The occupational names of craftsmen, soldiers, and even parish ministers and scholars were not normally inherited by the children. If a son followed in his father's footsteps and practiced the same profession, he could take the same name as his father. Otherwise, patronymics were generally used for children. However, during the 19th century, it became increasingly common for the children of these groups to also have the same surname as the father.I occasionally receive questions from Americans with Swedish roots about their ancestors' surnames. Why did they choose this particular surname, where does it come from, and what does it mean? They simply do not understand why the ancestors chose this particular surname. However, one must remember that this happened during a transitional period in Sweden when people abandoned their patronymics and instead adopted family names. The answer to why a certain surname was chosen is rarely complicated. One simply chose a surname they liked —a name that sounded good. Names are names and rarely need to be analyzed in depth.
The 1901 Name Act
In 1901, a name regulation (the Name Act) was adopted, which came to regulate the taking of family names. The Name Regulation, however, did not include an obligation to adopt family names. A common misconception is that the use of patronymics was banned with the Name Act of 1901. It wasn’t. But Swedes with patronymic names were encouraged to adopt family names after 1901. However, it had now socially become customary, even in rural areas, to convert their patronymics into family names.What was restricted by the Name Act, however, was the previously informal and completely free right to adopt family names. Now the taking of family names was to be regulated. Previously it had been rather free to adopt a new name; now the procedure was formalized.Only in the 1963 Name Act was it stipulated that all Swedish people were required to use family names. It was now that it became forbidden to use patronymics.An amendment to the 1901 Act, passed in 1920, stated that married women had to carry the same surname as their respective husbands. This amendment was abolished in the 1963 Name Act. The 1963 Act also abolished the use of double surnames (hyphened names). However, in the new Names Adoption Act of 2017, double surnames are again allowed.More information about Name Laws in Sweden
Surnames of children born out of
wedlock
There were no set rules for giving surnames to children born out of wedlock. If the father was "known," the child would generally receive a patronymic based on the father's first name. If the father had a family name, the child would probably inherit this name.If the father was “unknown” ("fader okänd" in the birth records), the child usually received a different surname. If the mother had a family name, the child could inherit it. If not, adopt a patronymic name based on the maternal grandfather’s first name. The child could also receive a surname based on the mother's first name, known as a metronymic. If the mother was named Karin, the child could be given the name Karinsdotter if it was a girl or Karinsson if it was a boy. Karinsdotter means daughter of Karin and Karinsson, son of Karin.
Names of Swedish immigrants in
the United States
There is a widespread myth that the spelling of the immigrants’ surnames were changed at Ellis Island. They were not.The legend goes that the officials at Ellis Island, unfamiliar with the many languages and nationalities of the people arriving at Ellis Island, would change the names of those immigrants that sounded foreign or unusual.However, this is not true; inspectors did not create records of immigration; rather, they checked the names of the immigrants against those recorded in the ship's manifest. The manifests were made up by the steamship companies and presented to the officials at Ellis Island when the ships arrived. Immigrant inspectors at Ellis Island simply accepted the names as recorded in the ship's manifests and never altered them unless persuaded that a mistake had been made in the spelling or rendering of the name. Immigration authorities had numerous interpreters to question immigrants if necessary to satisfy any question they might have. They were more concerned with the truthfulness of answers than the actual spelling of names. The immigration clerk had the manifest in front of him when an immigrant approached the desk in the Great Hall. The clerk then proceeded, usually through interpreters, to ask questions based on those found in the manifest. Their goal was to make sure that the answers matched. The manifests did not only list the passengers’ names but also personal details (they were a sort of questionnaire) with information given by each immigrant. From 1855, all shipping lines were required to use these manifests with the information the US Immigration demanded about each immigrant.Although it is always possible that the names of passengers were spelled wrong, perhaps by the ship’s officers when the manifests were drawn up, it is more likely that immigrants were their own agents of change. Often the immigrants themselves wanted to “Americanize” or, in another way, change their names. This was either done in Sweden before departure or in the USA after arrival. Many choose to adopt a family name instead of their patronymics and then often adopted a name that worked in English. Further, patronymics could be misunderstood in the US since the children in a system with patronymics do not have the same surname as the father. The children would then be taken for illegitimate children, which was as bad in the US as in Sweden. Also, in a system with patronymics, the husband and wife do not carry the same surname, which could be misunderstood in the US as if they were not married. It was therefore common that the wife adopted the same surname as the husband before they emigrated from Sweden.
Americanization of Names
Males: Anders became Andrew, Nils became Nels, Bernt became Bent, Karl or Carl became Charles, Gustav became Gust, etc. Females: Karin became Karen, Maria became Mary, Anna became Anne, Märta became Martha, Kristina became Christine, etc. The surname Svensson became Swanson or Swenson, Bergström became Bergstrom, Bengtsson became Benson, Johansson became Johnson, Söderlund became Soderlund, and Andersson became Anderson (with one "s"). Some even translated their family name into English, for example, Östman into Eastman, Högman into Highman, Stål into Steel, Ljungdahl into Youngdahl, etc.Another group completely changed their surnames and adopted typical American names like Wilson, Rodgers, Brown, Harrison, etc.
