Norwegian names01

Waupaca Republican

January 16, 1880

Norwegian Names

A well educated “Norsk Amerikaner” writes in the Madison Journal an interesting treatise on Norwegian names, which are now liable to great confusion. In the old country, the common farmer or tenant has no such thing as a surname or a family name. A person’s given name is all he has got. It is this or that means son or daughter, as the case may be. If a man’s given name is Ole, and his father’s given name is Knudt, Ole is son of Knudt, or Ole Knudtson, in reality Knudt’s son. Likewise, if Knudt had a daughter Anna, it would be Anna Knudt’s daughter, or datter. Her name would remain the same after marriage.

Again, if Knudt’s father’s given name was Ole, his name would be Knudt Oleson. But allowing Knudt to live on the farm Tvadten, then his name would be Knudt Oleson Tvedten; but his son’s Ole Knudtson Tvedten, and his daughter’s Anna Knudt’s Datter Tvedten. If he should move to another farm by the name of Fjelstad, he would immediately drop Tvedten and take up Fjelstad.

There is no such term as Mr., Mrs. Or Miss applied to the members of a family. The real family names are the farm names. When the Norwegians come to this country they generally drop the farm name, which is the only distinctive name, and assume the given name, by which Olesons and Halversons become as numerous as John Smiths. The writer suggests, and very properly, that in the cases of the common names, the family or farm name should be assumed as has been done by a few. For instance, he says “We have Heimdahl, Thoesness, Holum, Hegg, Grinder, Grinde, Grimstvedt, and others. But such cases are not frequent, to say, nothing as universal, as it should be. But, my countrymen, although admitting this to be true, may say, What shall we do? Do? Change it at once. Our laws provide a legal remedy. Take your acknowledged farm name, so that a person can find you, whether he speaks Norsk or English.” This can be done through the courts at very little expense or trouble. The advice is worthy of serious consideration by our large and industrious Scandinavian population.