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Sweden Personal Names: Difference between revisions
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The predominant type of surname in Sweden is patronymic. These surames are based on the father's given name and changed with each generation. For example, Lars Pettersson was the son of Petter. If Lars had a son named Hans, the son would be known as Hans Larsson (son of Lars). His brothers would be called Larsson, while any sisters would be known as Larsdotter (daughter of Lars). | The predominant type of surname in Sweden is patronymic. These surames are based on the father's given name and changed with each generation. For example, Lars Pettersson was the son of Petter. If Lars had a son named Hans, the son would be known as Hans Larsson (son of Lars). His brothers would be called Larsson, while any sisters would be known as Larsdotter (daughter of Lars). | ||
=== Nature Names === | === Nature Names === | ||
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In the province of Dalarna people were frequently recorded with a farm name (''gårdsnamn'') which were always written before their given name. An example of this would be ''Knis Anders Ersson'', who may also be recorded as ''Knis Anders''. These farm names should not be recorded as part of the person's name but should be included as part of the locality. These names usually do not appear in the church record until 1800.<ref>Elisabeth Thorsell. [http://www.etgenealogy.se/farmname.htm ''The Farm Names of Dalarna'']. Accessed 8 June 2020.</ref> In Gotland if a person was a farm hand the name of the farm names was written before the person's name, and after if the person was the owner of the farm.<ref>Kjöllerström, Per August, ''[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/342294 Svensk Namnbok : Dopnamn, Ättenamn, Ortnamn]'', p. 125.</ref> | In the province of Dalarna people were frequently recorded with a farm name (''gårdsnamn'') which were always written before their given name. An example of this would be ''Knis Anders Ersson'', who may also be recorded as ''Knis Anders''. These farm names should not be recorded as part of the person's name but should be included as part of the locality. These names usually do not appear in the church record until 1800.<ref>Elisabeth Thorsell. [http://www.etgenealogy.se/farmname.htm ''The Farm Names of Dalarna'']. Accessed 8 June 2020.</ref> In Gotland if a person was a farm hand the name of the farm names was written before the person's name, and after if the person was the owner of the farm.<ref>Kjöllerström, Per August, ''[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/342294 Svensk Namnbok : Dopnamn, Ättenamn, Ortnamn]'', p. 125.</ref> | ||
== Abbreviations == | |||
When recording surnames, it is important to remember that patronymics were frequently abbreviated in the records. The abbreviations '''d.''', '''dr.''', '''dtr.''', are all substitutes for ''dotter''. Likewise, male patronymics are frequently shortened to '''s''' or '''ss'''. In a parish where most of the population has a surname ending with ''-dotter'' or ''-sson'', recording the name in full would be needlessly redundant. | |||
Abbreviations in the records are not limited to surnames. Some given names are frequently abbreviated as well. Perhaps the most commonly encountered abbreviation is in names containing the word ''Christ'', where it is written as ''X'', it being a modern siglum of the Greek ''Χρ'', representing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of Christ. | |||
=== Name Frequency === | === Name Frequency === | ||
A study of male births in a parish in Norrbotten during the 1750s revealed that over half the males born had one of four given names: Anders (24%), Lars (12%), Jon (8%) and Olaf/Olav (8%). Among the female births during the same period five names were used move than half the time: Karin/Karen (18%), Margaret (14%), Kerstin/Christina (20%), Gunilla (7%), and Ingrid (7%). While this is a specific to a single parish, it is representative of name frequencies across the entire country. | A study of male births in a parish in Norrbotten during the 1750s revealed that over half the males born had one of four given names: Anders (24%), Lars (12%), Jon (8%) and Olaf/Olav (8%). Among the female births during the same period five names were used move than half the time: Karin/Karen (18%), Margaret (14%), Kerstin/Christina (20%), Gunilla (7%), and Ingrid (7%). While this is a specific to a single parish, it is representative of name frequencies across the entire country. | ||