fbpx

Norwegian Surnames: The Most Common Family Names in Norway

Home » Living in Norway » Norwegian Surnames: The Most Common Family Names in Norway

Are you researching your family history? Here is the story of Norway’s most common family names and how they have evolved through recent centuries.

If you even have a passing interest in Norway or Scandinavia, then you have probably wondered about the distinctive Nordic family names.

Illustration of a historic Norwegian family in the fjords of Norway.
Illustration of a historic Norwegian family in the fjords of Norway.

Norwegian surnames often comprise of place names or geographical features of the landscape, while others reflect the family history. In many cases, they point to the historic naming system of the father's or mother's first name being passed down.

Trends in Norwegian family names

As a result of this, surnames like Larsen, Hansen and Johansen are still commonplace in modern day Norway, even though they don't mean what they once did. In fact, the top ten Norwegian surnames all end in -sen.

However, a report from Statistics Norway shows that the overall percentage of such names in Norway is dropping. Among newborns, the percentage with a -sen surname has dropped from 22.5% to 18.5% in recent years.

The trend can be seen across all names. For example, number of living people with the name Hansen has dropped from 53,000 in 2015 to just 49,500 in 2023.

Naming of children is regulated in Norway, although the rules are more liberal now than ever before. If you're curious, check out this article on banned names in Norway.

An old Norwegian family portrait
Family portrait from 1910. Photo: Fylkesarkivet i Sogn og Fjordane (CC 2.0)

Now, let's dive right in with the statistics, before we look at Norwegian family names in much more detail.

Top 10 Norwegian family names

The top 10 surnames in use in Norway today all end in -sen, a reflection of the former patronymic naming system in the Nordic region. These figures are from Statistics Norway, and reflect the latest data available from 2022.

The number in brackets refers to the number of people presently in Norway with that surname.

1.  Hansen (49,503)
2.  Johansen (47,097)
3.  Olsen (46,094)
4.  Larsen (35,935)
5.  Andersen (35,277)
6.  Pedersen (33,467)
7.  Nilsen (32,620)
8.  Kristiansen (22,356)
9.  Jensen (21,845)
10. Karlsen (20,113)

Other popular Norwegian surnames

Continuing down the list in decreasing popularity, we start to see names based on places and geographic features. We'll look into meanings of specific names later.

11. Johnsen (19,718)
12. Pettersen (18,972)
13. Eriksen (18,499)
14. Berg (17,569)
15. Haugen (13,939)
16. Hagen (13,608)
17. Johannessen (12,619)
18. Jacobsen (11,572)
19. Andreassen (11,562)
20. Dahl (11,296)

Terminology of family names

Before we dive into the history of naming and the meaning behind popular family names, let's look at some important terminology. Etymology is the study of a word’s origin and a word's changeable state trough history.

The Meland family of Oppstryn, Norway, circa 1910
The Meland family of Oppstryn, Norway, circa 1910

Family names are typically one of three types: Occupational names are derived from the occupation or job of an ancestor. Patronymic names are passed down from the parent. Finally, toponymic names are based on a geographical feature.

Occupational names are common in Great Britain. For example, names like Baker, Butcher, Farmer, and Gardener are in common use.

History of Norwegian family names

Tracing your family ancestry in Norway is a relatively straightforward affair, that is until you get to the pivotal year of 1923. This was the year a law was introduced stating that families should have just one surname.

Before 1923, patronymic surnames were common. Post-1923, many family names were then formed by fixing the patronymic name. So whereas Magnus Johnsen would have previously meant Magnus, son of John, it would now mean, Magnus of the Johnsen family, as it does today.

Female family names operated in the same way: “–dotter” or “–datter” meaning “daughter of”. For example, if your father was called “Johan” then your surname might have been listed as “Johansdotter” – “Johan’s daughter”.

Not all families used patronymic names. Some family names were formed from place names, farm names, or from geographical features. Some of these historic names like Bakke, Berg, Dahl, and Haagen, remain in use today.

Interestingly, the patronymic naming system can still be found in Iceland to this day.

By the way, if you're interested in first names, there's some fascinating trends there too. Check out our article on the most popular Norwegian baby names for more information and inspiration.

The meaning of popular family names in Norway

Let's take a closer look at the meanings behind some of the most common Norwegian surnames.

A historic Norwegian family at a fjord boatyard.
A historic Norwegian family at a fjord boatyard.

-sen: All names ending in -sen were historically patronymic names. This Old Norse naming system referenced your father. So Peter Johnsen would have originally meant, Peter, son of John. This meaning has gone, but the names remain.

Berg: Derived from the Norwegian word for ‘mountain' or ‘rock,' surnames with ‘Berg' typically indicate a family's ancestral connection to a mountainous or rocky area. For example, someone with the surname Berg likely had ancestors who lived near or on a mountain.

Dahl: This surname originates from the Old Norse word ‘dalr,' meaning ‘valley.' It was often used to signify someone who came from or lived near a valley. In modern Norwegian, the word valley is ‘Dal', but the spelling ‘Dahl' is retained for names.

Hagen: Hagen comes from the Old Norse word ‘hagi,' which means ‘enclosed pasture' or ‘garden.' It signifies a family's association with farming, agriculture, or a place characterized by a garden or a protected, fertile land.

Haugen: This name is derived from ‘haugr,' an Old Norse word meaning ‘hill' or ‘mound.' It typically refers to families who originated from or lived near a small hill or a raised area in the landscape. Like many Norwegian surnames, Haugen reflects a connection to specific geographical features.

Ibsen: The great Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, has a surname that is instantly recognisable. But, did you know that it is actually a name of Danish origin? It means, son of Ib. The name Ib is derived from the name Jacob.

Lund: Derived from the Old Norse word ‘lundr,' Lund means ‘grove' or ‘small forest.' It indicates a family's origin from or near a wooded area. This surname reflects a connection to the natural, forested landscapes that are prevalent in Scandinavia.

Moen: Moen is derived from the Old Norse word ‘mói,' meaning ‘moor' or ‘heathland.' This name would have been given to families living near open, uncultivated land, often found in rural areas.

Solberg: This name combines ‘sol,' meaning ‘sun,' and ‘berg,' meaning ‘mountain' or ‘rock.' Solberg can be translated to mean ‘sunny mountain' or ‘sunlit rock,' likely indicating a family from a place known for its sunny, mountainous terrain.

A view along Sola Strand beach.
The surname ‘Strand' comes from the Norwegian word for ‘beach'. Photo: David Nikel.

Strand: Strand in Norwegian means ‘beach' or ‘shoreline.' It is a common surname for families who lived by the sea or along the coast, denoting a close association with maritime life or proximity to the water.

Family names in Denmark

Norway is not alone in their patronymic naming history, two Scandinavian neighbours, Denmark and Sweden, also used this type of naming. Denmark’s surnames are mostly patronymic in origin.

Just like Norway, Denmark also use a suffix ‘–sen' in family names. So a Danish family name like Christensen originally would have meant as ‘son of Christen.'

Other surname forms included occupational names taken from the job roles of ancestors in villages or farmsteads. For example, ‘Schmidt' meaning ‘smith', or ‘Fisher' meaning ‘fisherman.'

The most common names in Denmark are almost all patronymic. The odd one out in the list is the occupational name ‘Møller', which means Miller.

1. Nielsen
2. Jensen
3. Hansen
4. Pedersen
5. Andersen

Family names in Sweden

The most common surnames in Sweden are also patronymic. Norway’s next door neighbour abolished this type of naming system a little earlier, in 1901. The change in the law ensured a single family name was passed from generation to generation, just like Norway.

Swedish patronymic names are easily identified through the suffix ‘-son' or more commonly ‘-sson.'

Of the top 20 family names in Sweden, only one is not patronymic in origin. The name Lindberg is derived . The name Lindberg means ‘linden tree mountain'.

1.  Andersson
2.  Johansson
3.  Karlsson
4.  Nilsson
5.  Eriksson

About Life in Norway

Sometimes, more than one person in the Life in Norway team works on a story. This was one of those times!

Norway Weekly Subscribe Banner

224 thoughts on “Norwegian Surnames: The Most Common Family Names in Norway”

  1. I am related to Berit Kullander on my mother’s side. Barth is also on my mother’s side. Christophersen on my father’s side. So the further back I go the more Nowegian I am. Must do that DNA test …lol

    Reply
    • I was a Christophersen until I got married. However, the “Ch” and “ph” were an “Americanization” that occurred when my grandfather came to the US. His name was “Kristoffersen,” and I really don’t know whether HE changed the spelling or whether someone at Ellis Island misspelled the name. Do you know whether the spelling on your father’s side was original or changed?

      Reply
      • I found that it remains a mystery as to how the spelling of a name was changed. Sometimes at Ellis Island, sometimes because a family wanted to modernize their surname when they finally got to the US. It does sometimes make the search more difficult when one is researching ancestors. Also, sometimes the person recording the arrival of a person or family had poor handwriting or very “flowery” handwriting that was hard to decipher. Also, researchers can make transcribing errors, something I have found from time to time when I am searching census records, immigration arrivals. etc. Not everyone was meticulous and I can understand why. Hurrying, long lines of arrivals waiting, not understanding the pronunciation of a subject’s name by that person, etc. My own grandfather could not pronounce the “th” sound. It could be that his name really was simply Torvald, and not Thorvald. At any rate, it is fascinating to research one’s ancestry!

        Reply
        • “Thorvald & Torvald” are pronounced exactly the same, with a hard “t”. In Iceland it’d be pronounced more similar to the “th” sound though. The “th” sound is notoriously difficult for Norwegians to pronounce though, so often it’s just pronounced as a “d” instead.

          Reply
      • I recently learned the people who could write, wrote their own names so they probably were not Americanized by Americans. My mother’s name was changed by her grandfather (from Iverson to Everson so that it would be pronounced Eeeverson, but of course it was pronounced incorrectly as Everson)

        Reply
    • My great-grandma and great-grandpa came from Norway and their name was Helen Stary and Jen Stary. They had two daughters and one son. The children who are born in the United States of America. My grandmother was born here and Chimney Rock and so was her brother and sister

      Reply
        • Thank you for creating this list. 😆

          Like many others commenting, ancestry research is what brought me to this page.

          My DNA test revealed I am 25% Norwegian. I was recently given our family’s ancestry research which goes as far back as the 1700s, early 1600s, but I haven’t had the heart to go through it yet. My mom passed away 3.5 months ago & I’m just not fully there.

          Until I am, I would like to gather a little bit of information to be able to take the research further. These names will absolutely help with that so again, thank you!

          Do you know of any other resources that could be helpful as well?

          Thank you 😊

          Reply
      • Hello Erik. I spent some time this past summer with cousins in Gjovik and Biri. I was surprised to see my maiden name, Vold, pop up on previews of a movie we were watching. Apparently, I was “violent “ before I married. I would have thought I BECAME violent after leaving my loving Norwegian family, HA!

        Reply
    • My father in law 100% Norwegian with name Mollerud shortened to Ruud here. Comes from Sigdal Norway- a valley northwest of Oslo.

      Reply
      • My family name is Maalrud. Other spellings are Malrud with the two dots over the “a” and also Molrud. My family is from Lunner and Jevaker. You can find the baptism records of the Maalrud family at the Lutheran church in Lunner as well. Karl Maalrud my great grandfather came to Tampico, Montana with his wife and his brother and his wife to homestead a farm there in the very early 1900’s. I have the original marriage certificate from his wedding in 1914 in Glasgow, MT. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    • Mølle=mill, rud=clearing. So a clearing where there is a mill – probably a grinding mill making flour out of grain, driven by a brook or creek.

      Reply
  2. I really enjoyed your article here! Great reading! Thanks! Hope to pursue more concerning my last name. It could either be Patronymic or Toponymic, suspect the latter as I’ve been to Kristiansand to see the steps of my 5th grandfather’s farm house. Thanks again for the great article!

    Reply
      • You have obviously taken to using the lazy person’s habit of using the term “Viking” to describe Scandinavian people (usually male…)that should be referred to as Norsemen. Vikings as a group never existed, “Viking” was the journeys or expeditions that the Norsemen undertook. It is accurate to refer to a “viking ship” because they were used by the Norsemen for their journeys, to go a-viking in. There were several different types of viking ship, the largest & strongest for long distance sea journeys, and smaller, more manoeuvrable flatter hulled boats for navigating rivers and shallower water conditions. Also, the Norsemen never wore horned helmets, they were worn by Germanic Pagan priests during special circumstances. Wagner’s depiction of “Vikings” gave the world a highly distorted image of the Norsemen.

        Reply
        • Thank you for posting, this information is very enlightening and helps form a more realistic of the ‘viking’ times.

          Reply
        • Thank you. The constant misnaming of Norsemen as “Vikings” makes me crazy. Of course, by Hollywood standards, Vikings sounds sexier.

          Reply
        • You are absolutely right on all counts. Incidentally my mothers family name is Howden changed through misspelling and centuries from Hovden. Which apparently means overhanging mountain of a sacrificial site. There is also a place in Norway called Hovden.😁

          Reply
  3. How does the last name Saltvick ( Saltwick) play into these parameters. It seems to be fairly rare. Other than direct family members, I do not find it anywhere. . Thank you

    Reply
      • År = to do with a river (a stream) or rivers, probably the same origin as “avon” (Engl), “aqua” (Latin), “Aue” (Germ.). You find in Norwegian place names Åmot (river meeting), Årnes (a cape into a river), Åros (where the river meets a lake or ocean) and dozens of other names on År- or Å-. Norwegian river names often carry the last syllable -a, short for åa, “the river”, like in Glomma, Driva, Vorma. In some names the År- can mean alder (lat. alnus) the tree, so it may help to know how the name was written in ancient times.
        Joan, I believe Årtun is more like Riverton. There is a dictionary on Norwegian surnames with recent statoistics (Veka O. Norsk etternamnleksikon. Oslo: Samlaget, 2016). Start learning Norwegian.

        Reply
      • My grandmother’s name was Aarhus. Aar= river
        Hus=house
        so probably names after a river through the front yard=Aartun
        The mark over the A =Aa

        Reply
        • I recently learned the people who could write, wrote their own names so they probably were not Americanized by Americans. My mother’s name was changed by her grandfather (from Iverson to Everson so that it would be pronounced Eeeverson, but of course it was pronounced incorrectly as Everson)

          Reply
  4. What about Sorensen my grand Parents we’re both from Norway one was upper Norway and one was bottom Norway Tromso and Christian sorry about the spelling and my married name is Anderson and his parents were from Oslo

    Reply
  5. So disappointed neither family name is on the list! The names are Melberg, which we believe to be from a farm in the Stavanger area, and Lund, which I thought was like Smith or Jones … but I guess it isn’t!!!

    Reply
  6. I believe my grandfather’s name was Ole Knutson, but when he came to America, there were so many with that name, he changed the last name to Gjerde.

    Reply
    • My great grandfathers name was Ole Knutson as well , my great grandmother traced our ancestry back to Queen Elizabeth for me for a 6th grade Renaissance Fair. Olson and Sorensen also show up in the genealogy papers I have . I wish I could find out more about them and figure out what our family crest is in not just Norway but England too . Germany and Sweden it seems as though the Knutson’s traveled quite a bit.

      Reply
      • My great-aunt married a gentleman named Henry Knutson and lived on Chimney Rock my great aunt’s name was Selma Stary she married her husband Henry Knutson of Norway

        Reply
        • I forgot to let you know that my great-grandparents came from Norway on a ship. I don’t know one year they came but my grandmother daughter was born in 1900 here and Wisconsin a Chimney Rock where a lot of kin folks live there knutson’s, Peterson’s ,starry’s, Olsen

          Reply
  7. My salvation in researching my Norwegian genealogy was a remembered remark from my cousin that our great grandfather Embret Olson was also known as Embret Overby. Overby was the farm where he was born. It led to generations of church records for ancestors. My grandfather and his siblings adopted the family name of his father (Olson) when they emigrated but my grandfather returned to his Norwegian name to avoid confusion with other Ole Olsons in his neighborhood in Minnesota. His paternal grandfather’s name was Ole Amundson Bergerud, his maternal grandfather was Ole Amundson Rinden. Thank goodness for those farm names!

    Reply
    • The same for us. Overbye was the farm name in Norderhov, Ringerike. The spelling varied a bit over the years, but we found census and church records back to about 1750. Prior to 1805 it was all patronymic. We know it was steeper terrain since my grandfather always talked about how the cows had shorter legs on one side so they could stand on the hillside. So upper village makes sense.

      Reply
      • David, did your grandfather also mention that the farmers easily caught the cows by chasing them in the opposite direction so that they tripped and fell over 😉

        Reply
      • I too am an Overbye descendent and have heard a bit about the farm, however that story about the cows is very interesting! I’m quite a ways down in the tree. I was born Kitty Overbye, down through the Wisconsin Overbyes. I hope someday I can come that way and see that terrain.

        Reply
        • My grandfather ended up owning a farm in Rusk County Wisconsin and is buried there. That farm was flat with a lot of rocks, so the cows could have legs of equal length. Depending where you come from it is possible we are related.

          Reply
    • My grandmother’s maiden name was Kassem from skipvet south of Oslo. My grandfather was Ockerman Olson. He dropped Olson, likely in Minnesota as this is where they first arrived and lived until claiming land in alberta, canada. So little is known of my grandfathers lineage. His first name was johan (John).

      Reply
    • I was wondering about my maternal grandfather’s surname: Enslen. He wasn’t sure, but he thought the name either Norwegian or Danish. He was born in the American State of Mississippi in 1900.
      By the way, I thought you might be interested to know that there is a small town in northeastern Texas called Brownsboro, that was settled by a large number of Norwegians. They settled there apparently because the place put them in mind of Norway. The town is in northeastern Henderson County.
      Larry Gillreath, Princeton Texas

      Reply
  8. My grandma had Antonson and Andreassen. Her birth father (Anders) died and her mother remarried to Anton. Or it was the other way round. In any case, she never had a matronymic name. She had brothers named both Hanson and Johnsrud. Her mom’s name was Margarethe Estendatter (daughter of Esten) Beskeland (the farm where she was born).

    Do you have an inkling of how many churches were around Trondheim? You try to look through them with their unreadable handwritten scrawls.

    I’ll just say they were all descendants of Harald Fairhair and let it go at that.

    Reply
  9. Interesting. I’m an Eriksen in Norway and Linder in Sweden. I knew Linder had to do with a lime tree but found it an odd name for Swedish. Course all my ancestors prior were sons and daughters of.

    Reply
    • “Linde” translates limetree in english but is not linked to the lime fruit but to “linden”. I think linden tree is another name for it. Those trees are common in Northern Europe, whereas lime trees of course are not

      Reply
      • Uglem seems to be a construction, like my middle name Nordem, which was my mother’s maiden name. My grandmother used the capitals of the family members: N for Nils, O for Otto, R for Runi, D for Darald, E for Erna and M for Marinius…

        Reply
      • What of the name Henderson….I know the root word Hender in Norwegian means hands and I have Norwegian d.n a going way back ..is the name Henderson found anywhere in Norway or is Hender a form of the name Henry ? I wouldn’t think so if it’s Hender and not Henryson

        Reply
  10. My Great Grandfather Andrew Olson Kneastang came to the U.S. from Ringerike in the 1860’s
    . When he arrived in the U.S. he used Olson as his last name. Does anyone know what Kneastang means?

    Reply
  11. My wife and I are going up the west coast of Norway this summer by ship. We went to Norway about 15 years ago and found the landscape to be beautiful. At that time we went to the village of Orness where there is a beautiful church. If I can find the photograph I can send a copy next time I’m on this site.

    Reply
  12. My husband’s family name is Lenhartzen and his parents were both born in Oslo. What is the origin of the suffix – zen?I assume it is some form of a patronymic name….son of Lenhart?

    Reply
    • Wiik, Wik or Vik is the same topographical name, meaning inlet or bay. The different spellings are due to the non-consistent spelling rules in Norway in the 1700s and 1800s. Often the vicars who wrote names in church registers would spell differently, and they would also – at least in the 1700s – be Danish or at least be educated there.

      Reply
  13. Very interesting! My GGGrandparents Bakke from Hemsedal, Norway. Danish ancestors Andersen. I have been to the family farm in Norway. Amazing!

    Reply
  14. My surname is Moen, grandparents were olsens, andersen s I thought Moen meant from a town called mo or a paradeground, but I somewhere it might mean pasture or farmer. any ideas which it is. Article was very interesting.

    Reply
    • Both is correct… this is from norwegian Wikipedia:
      The name comes from a particular form singular of the noun mo, a flat area, often a dry and sandy plain. Moen, often in the form “mo’n”, is also a common nickname for Norwegian excursion sites and military camps.

      Reply
  15. I found I am very Norwegian, up to 93 percent according to Ancestry. My family name is Jacobson. S. o. n and Shotwell, Ayres, Pike and Fletcher. I was curious about the s.o.n ending. Does anyone have any ideas? I wonder if they switched it. They came from southern norway all the way up to the Lofoten and further north. Even to Iceland.

    Reply
  16. My father’s family name is Fagerholt. He was from Bergen. Would anyone know the origin or meaning of Fagerholt? Sometime in the 1800’s, the family name became Hansen.

    Reply
  17. My name, Eiken, did not appear on the list, the family come from Ulsteinvik, and can be traced back to a very small island, Eikoya where my great grandfather lived in the late 1800s early 1900s, before moving to Ulstienvik. My father escaped to the UK, Englands Farten during WW2

    Reply
  18. My great grandfather and grandmother came from Sweden there last name is Erickson can you help with what area that might be Thank you. Sincerely yours Paul Charles Erickson.

    Reply
  19. ThNk you for this article! It was quite interesting.
    Wondering about the name Akervold, I assume it was spelled differently way back when…. maybe from the town Aker?

    Reply
  20. Very interesting site. I seem to be descended from a mariner named William Clemsted. What does sted or stead mean, it was changed after 1800 in Maryland, USA to Clemsen and Clemson

    Reply
  21. My family is Husom. I believe there’s a town and farm named Husom. Per research, I’ve found ancestors named Schiette as well as a shield with that name, circa 1500s. I am not sure if the two are the same, or how that comes into play. On my Mother’s side, they changed Stueland (SP?) to Larson after emigrating. Fascinating reading! Do you have suggestions/ideas about these and/or meanings? We always thought my Great Grandma Otterdahl’s family came from Germany, but DNA testing puts my family at 94%-96% Scandinavian-Norwegian and Swedish and can’t find much on the Otterdahls. Could Otterdahl be Scandinavian?

    Reply
  22. I love this page, very helpful, my maiden name was Sunde and this has proved to be very difficult. I have learned that their are approximately 19 different Sunde farms. The a lot of people took the name Sunde from the Village of Sunde, a boating community SW of Norway. Ahhh so much to learn so little time lol.

    Reply
  23. I am curious if you can tell me anything about my family names – Tangen, Asleson, Bothun, Topness? These are the Norwegian branches of my family. Thank you! Soooooo interesting!

    Reply
  24. My grandfather’s name was Erick Olsen Gjengedal. I know that Gjengedal was the farm name, but I haven’t found anyone who knows what the name means, other than “dal” probably means valley.

    Reply
  25. I did not see our surname on the list either. My grandfather is Faltin Kalsheim, from Rogaland Norway. any info about the Kalsem or Kalsheim Family Farm would be greatly appreciated/

    Reply
    • My triple great grandfather was Kolstad. Does that mean he was from the city of Kol? And in a writeup from Holt, it says
      Peder O. Kolstad og Gurine Marie Sorensdtr.s barn

      I take it the s means married, and barn then lists the children born to them. Is that correct?

      Reply
    • It would probably be Sæteren or Seteren, which is a norwegian word for a small farm in the mountains where one would take the livestock to graze in the summer. They would walk the animals from the main farm in the lowlands up there to exploit the grazing resources in the mountais. That way the grass/feed from the main farm could be harvested and kept as winter feed.

      Reply
  26. Is the last name Umsted related in any way? I’ve never seen the name anywhere else but was told -sted is Scandinavian

    Reply
    • My maiden name is Bisted. Very hard to find anything on it but I know to be Danish. Also descendant of Christensen.

      Reply
  27. Hi our grandmothers maiden name was norvock her father was from Norway Fredrick Norvock is this the correct spelling

    Reply
  28. My 4th great grandmother’s surname was Lyse which I took to be a variation of the English ‘Lees’. However, on checking it I found that there was no such family in the vicinity with either spelling and also that there was a Lyse abbey in Norway.

    As my DNA shows that I’m 4.6% Scandinavian, and the perimeter of the dates fits exactly, I’m hoping that this is the connection. Any comments very welcome!

    Reply
  29. My grandfather was from Bergen Norway,his name was Trygve Granmo. I don’t know the meaning. Would love to find our some things about his name.

    Reply
  30. It would probably be Sæteren or Seteren, which is a norwegian word for a small farm in the mountains where one would take the livestock to graze in the summer. They would walk the animals from the main farm in the lowlands up there to exploit the grazing resources in the mountais. That way the grass/feed from the main farm could be harvested and kept as winter feed.

    Reply
  31. I know my Grandfather (Magnus) emigrated to the US from Norway, but he changed his name to Talgo (I believe there is a slash through the ø) upon arrival in America. It is said that the name comes from a farm and a river in Norway, Is there such a place? I know there is a furniture factory/manufacturer by the name, TALGØ. We have a wall unit and I have a scrap of the box it came to America in. He met his wife, my Grandmother Anna on the boat coming over and they were married. They settled in West Hempstead, Long Island, New York. I think his original name was Peterson or Petersen or Pederson or Pedersen. I am Half-Norwegian. Any help would be appreciated, tia. Mark Talgo

    Reply
  32. Years ago Alistair Cooke the broadcaster reported on the history of Ellis Island and an instance of a Norwegian immigrant to the USA, he said the immigration staff were not bi-lingual and some names were not recorded in the USA documents correctly. He quoted one Norwegian immigrant who said the immigration office couldnt get his accent and mistook his name with his Norwegian home town and said “is this your family name?” The Norwegian said he quickly thought ok new country new name so he accepted what the immigration official put down which was Roebeck, (The town he came from in Norway was Drobak on the Oslo fjord)

    Reply
  33. Maternal Grandfather on one side is Shellum.
    Maternal Grandmother is a Hagen.
    Paternal grandfather is Rodby? Topogenic?
    Paternal grandmother is Svensen Eglun. Came to America in 1858. Name changed to Swenson at some point. Settled near Madison, WI.

    Ancestors has me at 98% Western coast Norwegian and 2% Swedish.

    I am curious about Rodby and Svensen Eglun.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  34. This is very interesting. I wonder if you could tell me anything about my maiden name. My father’s name was Selmer Elvin SUNDBO. His father’s name was Daniel Smith Sundbo – born in Norway and moved to Canada in early 1900’s. And his father’s name was Osmund Danielson Sundbo. I see there is a town/city called Sundbo in the Telemark region. I would sure appreciate anything you could tell me. I’m in Canada. Thank You So Much!

    Reply
    • I know the Sundbo’s from around Birch Hillls/ PA.. my maiden name is Skrudland.. We would go to SS and church at Lake Park Lutheran .. I have visited Norway and found the area called Skrudland outside of Byrne.. Stavanger is where a lot of the Norwegians we knew came from. Interesting.

      Reply
  35. Names really do get quite confusing when you are dealing with hereditary: As a 93 year old born in New Zealand which has quite a large Scandinavian population of immigrants from the late 1800s. My grandfather’s parents on my Mother’s side were as follows:
    My Great Grandmother: Family name at birth: Thorstensen (Martha Marie)
    My Great Grandfather: Family name at birth: Guttormsen (Hans)

    My Mother’s Father’s Surname was taken as Hansen; hence the son of Hans (interesting).
    My DNA report indicated a strong Norwegian as well as a Finland and Ukrainian count.
    Would it have been possible that the two above surnames have had its derivation also in those two latter countries? I would be interested in your response. Kind regards Joseph Lyons.

    Reply
  36. I would like to make contact with my bloodline in Norway. My Dad told me we are originally from Norway. When they came to SA they changed our surname from Forster to Vorster and lost their inheritance many years ago. My hra d dad’s names were Petrus Benjamin Theodorus Vorster. .My Dad was Jakobus Daniel Vorster.
    If there is any chance I could make it will be a honour for me.

    Reply
  37. I was adopted at birth. My daughter found my birth family in about 2010. Mom was from Greenville, SC and my dad (they never married) was from Milwaukee, WI. I took my DNA test and it shows that I am 48% Norwegian. I was shocked, as from being from South Carolina, I never even considered that. I found out that my birth dad’s family was mostly German and some came from the Netherlands. The 1910 Census did show on my dad’s side, that my great grandmother, Mary Julia Peterson was born in 1871/1872 in Wisconsin. But, it also showed on the same 1910 Census, where her parents were born in Norway, so that is where my Norwegian comes from, I assume. I have not had any luck finding her parents. I have looked all over the internet and family trees, etc, but no luck. I am missing something, but don’t know what and where else to look. I am thinking, after reading your page, that the spelling changed, but again, I don’t where or what to look for. I sure hope you can help me, as this is so important to me. Thanking you in advance. Susan

    Reply
  38. My birth name Fredriksen father Mother Johansen ) There was a lot by my last name growing up Never see it much now My first name Laila Anything is helpful since I was adopter to the name Stende

    Reply
  39. Surname in the USA is ROA … in Norway it was Aslaksen. There is the town of ROA north of Oslo, and I believe the word ROA refers to a geographic location, something akin to ‘corner’ or where two valleys meet. Is it perhaps the case that the geographic location (home or farm) name would have been selected as the north american surname while dropping the Aslaksen surname ?

    Reply
  40. One of my great grandfathers was Norwegian. When he settled in the UK he was known as JOHN BRUSTAD NIELSEN. It took 30 years, on and off, to find where he was born in Norway. He did not take British citizenship, which made it more difficult. His birth name was IVER ZACCARIASSEN (BRUSTAD = family farm name). If he hadn’t kept BRUSTAD as his middle name I don’t think I would ever have found him.

    Reply
  41. I am so extremely proud to claim I am first generation 100% Norwegian. My father’s family immigrated from Trondheim Norway in 1908. Surname is Rasmussen. My father was born blind and denied entry into US because immigration laws denied entry of handicapped people. He was born in 1899. Approximately 1904-06 an operation gave him sight and he was allowed to enter US. Is there any way I could find medical records of my father’s operation in Norway? I would appreciate anything you can tell me.

    Reply
  42. Hi my surname did not appear on your list.Sivertsen I thought would be very common. My father was Harald Sivertsen and my grandfather Olaf Nicholai Sivertsen whom I was named after..Thanks.

    Reply
  43. Like everyone e else Interested in possible orgin of grandparents and great grandparents surname. My grandfather came to America in 1904. His last name is Sjurseth. My great great grandfather name was Ole Andersson Sjurseater. Any help with “Sjur” would be great. Have a picture of great great grandparents with Norland NBergen.

    Reply
    • Sjur is a norwegian forename that origins from the old norse name Sigurdr meaning victory or guardian. Sjursaeter; or in norwegian: Sjursæter, means «Sjur’s Shieling». The extra farm used during summer.

      Reply
  44. Any information about Myhre, my father and grandfather’s name. I think it was possibly changed from something else way back.

    Reply
  45. My father’s last name is Tveitane. We were always told it was from the farm in Norway (I believe in the south). Any insights into the meaning? My grandmother’s last name was Hustad which is from the town of that name near Molde but maybe it has additional meaning? Thank you!

    Reply
  46. My father’s name was Hagness and mother’s name Wang. I have some information but interested in hearing your
    interpretations. I was born in Oslo. Norway and my given name is Turid. ( In Canada I go by Trudy as Turid pronunciation is not complimentary lol )

    Reply
  47. Sorry my father’s surname isn’t on the list! It’s Clarenson which would mean “son of Clarence?” I’m also wondering why it would be spelled son instead of sen. My great grandparents came here from Norway in the early 1900’s.

    Reply
  48. Before emigrating my 3x greatgrand father was a Hike on a business trip to Trondheim, I was lucky enough to connect with an aunt by marriage, Solvig. She took me out to a farm near Malvic indicating it was where he was before left for USA. I can find the farm on a Norwegian top map, Bakken is also indicated along with Skjenstad. Is Bakken a hill associated with the area or is it a fami name?

    Reply
  49. My father was born in Norway. His name is Erling Jan Dastol (the Norwegian a and o). Changed to Daastol in US

    My grandparents were Einar and Jenny Daastol

    Reply
  50. Light bulb moment for us was when we realised that 10 children in the same family might have different surnames!

    My husband’s mother was Aadnesgaard. Her father and an uncle, both Lutheran missionaries, were Aadnesgaard. The farm they came from – Ådneskår – was in Adneskaar Vest-Agder. Phsew! Their father was Oluf Olsen and the first 4 sons took the name ‘Olufsen’. The search was on for Olsen-Olufsen-Aadnesgaard.

    Her mother was a ‘Theisdatter’ and we have been able to trace her lineage to Theis Jacob Torkildsen Lundegaard, a well known Norwegian from Austad. Once we got there, the family tree could be traced to the late 1500s.

    Reply
  51. My husband’s last name is Odegard. From the research I’ve done it was originally Langodegarden, not sure of the spelling. His ancestors were from Lom in Poland.

    Reply
  52. Had a very good friend with an “unusual” first name. His name was Finn Christensen. He once told me his father was born in Denmark and that he was born in Norway. He also said his sister’s name is Mona and his brother’s name is Ib. Are these names common to Denmark and Norway?

    Reply
  53. My grandfather used the last name of Petersen when he immigrated to the USA while his brother used last name of Geving. They were both from Trondheim. How do I figure which name to research?

    Reply
  54. Korsvol, changed to Korswold when grandfather went through Elis island , any idea?
    Small farm his parents owned in Bygstad, sunfjord and returned to in his 60’s.

    Reply
  55. I am researching hellberg, rodehorst, baden and mohwinkel from Bergen Germany and Norway. My ggma is Katherine Engel hellberg or Engel Katherine Hellberg. Any help would be great. I am looking to pay someone to find my family lineage.

    Reply
  56. My family name is Stitely.. We took a DNA test and im 80% Norwegian. I spoke to some people from denmark and they say its sounds like its from Norway. But i have no clue on where my name comes from.? Any help. Thanks

    Reply
  57. Our original family name would be Lyngen, it was changed by our ancestor that came to America in the 1800s to Peterson. Am I right to assume that he came from the Lyngen Alp area with last name?

    Reply
  58. My grandfather came from Trondheim – Name Olof Gabrielsen ( youngest son ) he arrived in NZ ( around 1920’s ) sailor , I stumbled on to this article by inserting surnames which has been of great reading for me , thanks to those who have been writing their questions and answers ( Jim Brooking )

    Reply
  59. I was foolish to assume that my surname Knudson would be common in Norway. The other side is Braaten and supposedly out of Oslo. I want to learn more and am lost.

    Reply
  60. My grandfather’s last name was Losnes and he came from Drammen. I’ve never seen the name other than people who I know are my relatives. Any thoughts?

    Reply
  61. Our family has traced our history back to 1400 when our greatgrandfather Bjorn of Pettersvik moved up from the Lofoten’s to settle on Senja. Because he used a single name, as most did back then, it is nearly impossible to trace our family any further back before 1400 since Bjorn was not an uncommon name and we could not be sure of which Bjorn was being mentioned in anecdotal records before 1400.

    Reply
  62. Wondering the meaning and geographic origin of my maiden name, “Nesseth”? My understanding is that is has gone thru several spelling changes. I was told the H was added by my immigrant family to the US when they arrived here. Also, I was told there is/was a town in Norway by my name, Nesseth? Would very much appreciate any information you have.

    Reply
    • My dad’s mom is a Nesseth. Her name was Helen. She was quite the blonde beauty at 6 feet tall. My dad was 6 foot 7. I’m trying to do some research myself on the name Nesseth for a book I’m writing.

      Reply
  63. How about Reierson? I know that my ancestor’s name was Reier Hogan? I am not sure of the spelling of the last name. When he arrived in Minnesota, he changed his name to Reier Reierson.

    Reply
  64. I thought my maternal grandfather’s family name (Ruud) would be common too but it isn’t on the list. He was from Oslo. He took the name Bjerke when he came to Canada. Bjerke means a birch tree. It was his mother’s maiden name. I know his father’s name was Johan. (I’m not sure of the spelling). I can’t find much information about my grandfather. My maternal grandmother’s maiden name was either Pettersen or Pedersen. I can’t find any information about her either. I have a postcard with a picture on it of a hospital and it says Hov-i-land on it. My grandfather’s first name was Soren and my grandmother’s first name was Karen. I’d like to learn more about them too and I would appreciate it if anyone can help me. Does anyone know where Hov-i-land is? Thank you.

    Reply
  65. My grandfathers name was Nils Gismervik from the Rogaland area of Norway. He came to the US in his 20’s and married my grandmother. They had three children.

    Reply
  66. Any thoughts about our family name, “Steenstrup?” I believe Steen is stone. My older relatives also claim “Severin,” “Collett,” “Kielland.” I would love any insights you might have. Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Hi, I think we must be related, i.e. from the same Steenstrup-branch. My name is Anne Steenstrup-Duch – also Collett is in our family. Actually, Peter “Severin” (a middle first name) Steenstrup was my great-grandfather. The Steenstrup name is Danish. Paul Steenstrup (https://nbl.snl.no/Paul_Steenstrup – in Norwegian I’m afraid) came from Denmark to run the Kongsberg silver mines i Norway. He was also one of the founding fathers of the Norwegian Constitution from 1814 (https://www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/About-the-Storting/The-Constitution/).

      Reply
      • Anne, I believe we are definitely related, as my grandmother’s brothers worked in the Kongsberg mines. And yes about the signing of the Constitution. So very wonderful to connect with you! My grandmother (Johanne Mette Colbjornsen Kielland Steenstrup – I might have missed one or two of her names) went to live at Gulskogen Gard in Drammen after her parents died, as her brothers (Paul, Peter, and Laurentz Christian) were on their way to America to connect with their uncle, Soren Kielland. The brothers all went to an engineering school in southern Norway before immigrating to Buffalo, New York. Hope to hear from you!

        Reply
  67. I am in search of information on the last name “Stende”. Last name is Anderson here in WI records but on a 1891 Norwegian census Ancestry is pulling in records with the last name “Stende”. Appears to be the same folks but I can’t find a connection or commonality anywhere. I find a Stende in Latvia but nothing else.

    Reply
  68. My grandfather’s last name was Ege. His parents came from Norway.
    I was told by my mother they came from a village name Ega Have
    You ever heard of that? Or the name Ege

    Reply
    • I would like to know too. I was born in the UK, my eldest brother’s nickname was mud, as our surname was often pronounced as mire…maybe some truth in the ‘swamp’ origin!

      Also love to find out more about my father’s family.

      Reply
  69. My grandfather Halvor Fredrik married to Annette Andrea Johnson (17th December 1898 in Brevik) was a mechanic with the surname of Myhre who allegedly died on the same day in 1926 as his father Fredrik married to Hanna (unrelated deaths. I have no idea where or when either was born or any other information about them. My father John Fredrik Myhre was born in Larvik in 1922. He remarried in 1959 to Åse Marie Kristiansen in Larvik but disappeared in 1962. He was later found to be living and subsequently died in Australia in 1984.
    I think one of my ancestors changed their name to Myhre but don’t know the origin of the name. Any information would be welcome.

    Reply
  70. My Great Grand parents came from Norway, they said they were from the Fossum farm so that’s what was put down as their last name. Fossum, outside of Olso I believe.

    Reply
    • I too have a Possum, from Northern Norway Tromso area… in America they were called Fosmo and settled in Eau Clair Wisconsin and then to Webster, Wisconsin.

      Reply
  71. My mothers Maiden name is Howden but with some ancestry research by several of the family members, it was de Hoveden and the ancestor was a Roger de Hoveden who was a scribe to William the Conqueror. My mother thinks it’s a Danish name but I think it’s more likely Norwegian in origin. I have 17% Scandinavian ancestry with the rest English. I am from U.K but now live in Canada.

    Reply
  72. Any info on “Vatland” as a surname and/or location in Norway? It’s supposedly Norwegian but as stated in the article, tracing a family tree in Norway pre-1920s is very difficult. We’re looking at 1700s or earlier. Only part of the tree yet to be expanded on. And Vatland is really our only clue. Thanks.

    Reply
  73. My great-great grandfather’s surname seems to have changed from Torgerson to Thompson upon arrival from Norway in America. I’m guessing it sounded more “American”…?!

    Reply
  74. Greetings! What an interesting and enlightening article! Thank you.
    My father’s maternal relatives came from Norway. My great-grandfather’s last name was Kjelsen. I’m not at all certain about my great-grandmother’s name, but I’ve seen Gundersen and Gilbertsen, as well as heard Gustafsen/Gustaffsen. Also, there appears to be a connection with the name Hansen, which I previously thought might be her maiden name, but now I’m thinking it could be in connection with the Kjelsen side from a record I’ve seen in my research. I believe one of the couple came from Kristiana (Oslo) and the other Bergen. Any ideas on the names’ origins? I haven’t seen Kjelsen mentioned in your article or lists of names, nor in the comments left by readers. Thank you!

    Reply
  75. Seeking information on paternal relative John Hayes (the younger). His mother was named Mary Walker, married to another John Hayes. All information indicates Mary Walker was born in Norway. Cannot find any indication of a family or place name of Walker from 19th century Norway. Perhaps she was married before marriage to John Walker. I can trace her only to birth of her son John, 1831 in Brigus, Newfoundland. Any one with any information on place name or family name that sounds like “walker’ or “walka” in Norwegian?

    Reply
  76. My maternal family name is Mahlum> Maehlum in Norway. I understand it comes from the name of the farm where the house was. In Norway there were many small plots of land on the various sides of the fjords. These are known as Li/Lie. So for example Nordlie would be the plot on the north side of the fjord. Ostlie the plot on the east side or Sorlie on the south side of the fjord. A farmer may have had several plots of land scattered around the fjord. The Maehlum referred to the plot of land that the house was on.

    Reply
  77. my norwegian family name was known as kro. it was a farm. do you know what it means? Also ombo island. the otherside of my family lived on that island near Stavanger. does it mean star island?

    Reply
  78. My last name is Swenson in America. I sent out to the Norwegian Emigration Center for information on my Great Grandfather Tomas Swenson and was told no record. I found a death certificate for Tomas and his father’s name was Swenum Stoli. I assume that Stoli is a town or village or place. Am I correct in that assumption. Please let me know before I go there next year 2022 to Norway.

    Reply
  79. How about the name Lieng? I learned it meant Hill-Meadow. My grandfather took the name Hill when he met and married my grandmother. And Langbraaten, taken from a farm in Norway…Thanks.

    Reply
  80. My Great Grandfather’s name was Halgrim Knutsen Vik Berg , my Grandfather was Halgrim Knut Hellerud from Fla Buskerud Co.

    Reply
  81. My last name was Wisland (Visland?) I thought it would be on the list.
    Do you know about this name?
    Thanks Lynn( Wisland) Mccutchen

    Reply
  82. My Maiden name is Carr. I was told is it derived from old Norse meaning lowlander or people of the swamp. Is this true?

    Reply
    • Yes, the Norse word for “swamp” is “kjarr”. “Carr” is a common name in England, and also in Scotland, where it is spelled as “Kerr”.This is one example of a word used by the Vikings becoming a surname in the British Isles.

      Reply
  83. My surname is Ove. I was told that the name was derived from a mountain somewhere in Norway. But no matter how long and hard I research mountains in Norway, I can’t find any connections. I also heard that Ove is a swedish and/or Germanic name. Does anyone know anything about the name Ove?

    Reply
    • Hallo! “Ove” is given name, not a surname. It comes from Old Danish and Old Norse name and can mean “edge of a sword” or “terror”, so it was a name originally given to warriors, then to boys in hopes that they would have the same strong warrior qualities. It is also spelled in Norway as “Owe”. (The German version is “Uwe”). Ove as a surname is unusual to me. Is it possible that you had an ancestor who emigrated from Norway to the United states? He could have decided to shorten his surname from (as an example) “Ovesen”, “son of Ove” to “Ove”. It’s also possible that his name was changed by an immigration officer. There are many instances in which these officers just arbitrarily changed the last names of immigrants on documents that they were processing because they thought they were hard to pronounce!

      Reply
  84. My last name is Askildsen, (son of a guy whose first name was Askild?). The family’s greater presence started in Stavanger
    (c. 1704) and later in Kristiansand. There is a well known writer named Kjell Askildsen who I’ve never met but looks a lot like
    men in my family. There is a house on the coast, once owned by my great grandfather which is now owned by the chairman of the Pulitzer Prize committee!

    Reply
  85. My last name is Askildsen, (son of a guy whose first name was Askild?). The family’s greater presence started in Stavanger
    (c. 1704) and later in Kristiansand. There is a well known writer named Kjell Askildsen who I’ve never met but looks a lot like
    men in my family. There is a house on the coast in Kristiansand, once owned by my great grandfather which is now owned by the chairman of the Pulitzer Prize committee!

    Reply
    • “Kal” means “cabbage” and “hovde” means “at a higher elevation” or “high up”. “Kalhovde” then would be a farm name, a name connected to a farm that grew cabbages on a hill.

      Reply
  86. Hi. My husband’s surname is Mossum. He is half Norwegian and half Swedish. His grandfather was immigrating from the north of Norway Lofoten to the southern Sweden Skane, and then he changed his original surname Mensen into Mossum. I can’t find anything about Mossum and I am wondering is that truly Scandinavian surname? What’s the origin of it? Thanks!

    Reply
  87. Hallo! I enjoyed reading your article, would like to point out one small error. The caption beneath the second photo of a Norwegian family (posed in front of a large house) gives the date of circa 1910. As the women have shorter skirts and bobbed hair, this would actually date to the 1920’s.

    Reply
  88. My maternal grandmother’s surname was Barsten from area Trondheim, and maternal grandfather it is said was also Barsten but from Oslo area and chngd to Olson when he came to the states. Paternal last name Pederson but was changed to Kloster for the name of the farm they worked at.

    Reply
  89. Thank you for this interesting information. My grandfather’s surname was Evenstad. The name was not changed when he arrived in America. We were told it was the name of the farmland they lived on. Do you know if ‘stad’ would mean farm or land?

    Reply
  90. Hello. My great grandfather John Johnson Berg was born in Norway in 1850. I found him in Wisconsin in 1880. I know nothing of his birthplace. His parents were John Sivertson Berg and Oleva Berg. Their 1st Daughter, my grandmother was baptized with the name Oleva Lade. (Called Leavy). Could Lade be a place where the family was from. Thanks

    Reply
  91. Would love more info on the Bisted surname. I have relatives in Minnesota and Denmark but haven’t found anything on the names’ meaning or origin.

    Reply
  92. My maiden name is Kalsem, commonly spelled, I am told in Norway as Kalsheim. It was the farm they all lived on. The family came from Rogaland

    Thanks Karen

    Reply
  93. My great grandfather came from Norway to Hawaii in the late 1800s. The story in our family is that he was a sailor or cabin boy on a ship and got off on Maui island (jumped ship). His surname was Burlem (first name Thorwald). He married a Portuguese girl on Maui and now there are many descendants in Hawaii and north America. I was wondering what the origin of his family name is?

    Reply
  94. My grandfather, Olaf, told our family that his father’s original surname was Rasmussen and he changed it when he came to the US. He changed it to Melsom because that was where he was from. Like the last comment, we were also told Great Grandpa “jumped ship,” except he did it in New York Harbor. I’m very happy to have tracked down our Norwegian relatives. We’re going to visit Norway this summer to meet them. We’ll be exploring Oslo, Sandefjord, Stavanger, and Bergen.

    Reply
  95. Is there any possibility that BRACK has Norwegian roots? I know there was a Judge Brack (character) in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.

    Reply
  96. My maiden name is Areklett. My Grandfather, Erling Areklett, came to America
    by himself right after graduating from University. He was from a family of 9 children. Both parents passed away and family came to raise the children and care for their farm. I do not know where the farm was located.
    There is much I do not know, but my Grandfather made trips to Norway often and family came to visit every couple of years. The cousins I was fortunate to know have now passed so there is no contact.
    I was told that Areklett means “Eagles Nest”. Is this correct?

    Reply
  97. I can’t find any info on the surname Barkve. I know that Thore Kristoffersen Barkve was born 1864 in Strand, Norway and died 1931 in Cylinder, Iowa, USA. He emigrated about 1884. I’m trying to find out why they took the surname of Barkve. I can’t find a town or farm in Norway with that name.

    Thank you for any help you can give me.

    Reply
  98. I am researching my family which originated on Finnoy. They often have Ostabo or Vestbo in front of the Finnoy. I can’t figure out what this is for. Any help?

    Reply
  99. Why would a person be named Bakvant? I know bakvant means backward. Would it mean they were literally backward people?

    Reply
  100. My great grandfather was Ole Olsen, son of Ole Olsen, son of Ole Olsen, son of Ole Olsen, son of Ole Olsen, son of Ole Olsen Tranburg, son of Ole Iversen.
    Does make family stories and history “interesting” to keep streight.

    Reply
  101. Very interesting website, accidently found (ie., “thanks” to AI/search engins in this case).

    Am trying to find the origin of the name “Kolstoe” (the umlaut exchanged for oe in English about 1889), a place and family name common In Karmoey Island.

    “kol” appears to mean coal? while “stoe” appears to mean “landing place” (Gyldendals, 1969) and, indeed, there is a small “harbour” near Kolsto in mid eastern Karmoey. But oy= island too? Origina? Help, please D. Kolstoe

    Reply
  102. I have been told our last name, Dyrness, means ‘deer point’ as in a point of land that was home to many deer. Does that sound right?

    Reply

Leave a Comment