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=== Surnames === | === Surnames === | ||
Before record keeping began in | Before record keeping began in Denmark, most people had only one name, such as ''Jens''. As the population increased, it became necessary to distinguish between individuals with the same name. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. Jens became Jens the smith, Jens the son of Matthis, Jens the short, or Jens from Fredericia. At first, "surnames" applied only to one person and not to the whole family. After a few generations, these names were passed from father to son. Surnames developed from four major sources: | ||
* '''Patronymic''', based on a parent's name, such as Lars Nielsen (son of Niels) | * '''Patronymic''', based on a parent's name, such as Lars Nielsen (son of Niels) | ||
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| Schmidt | | Schmidt | ||
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[[Category:Denmark]] | [[Category:Denmark]] | ||