MyDanishRoots.com :: Genealogy and Family History in Denmark / Danmark

Surnames deriving from nicknames/bynames

Written by Anders Buch-Jepsen

Another group encompasses the surnames deriving from nicknames/bynames, and many of these are among the oldest surnames in Denmark. This is a very broad and miscellaneous group of surnames that usually derive from mythological attributes of certain animals or the characteristics of the first bearer, for example a particular physical feature or the person's appearance (e.g. the color of hair or beard) or character.

In most cases, the literal meaning of a nickname/byname is clear, but often we can only guess why these nicknames were originally acquired or bestowed.

Animal names

The largest group of these names comprises those that derive from the names of animals and may refer to these animals’ appearance and character, or the mythological attributes we traditionally assign to them. Most of these names can be traced back to the 12th and 13th centuries, and where among the first names to become hereditary. Some nicknames/bynames and their English translation are:

Bjørn
Buch/Buck
Falk/Falck
Fugl
Hjort
Høg/Høeg
Krag/Kragh
Lam
Ravn/Rafn
Ulv

Bear
Buck/he-goat
Falcon
Bird
Deer, stag
Hawk
Crow
Lamb
Raven
Wolf

Seasons and weather etc.

A small sub-group of surnames are those that refer to a season, the weather or Christian festivals. No explanation to these names has been proven conclusively, but they may refer to the person’s birth, a special event or even to the character of the first bearer.

Sommer
Høst
Winther/Vinter
Frost
Kold
Paaske
Storm
Juhl/Juel

Summer
Fall
Winter
Frost
Cold
Easter
Storm
Christmas

Other personal characteristics

Other surnames that refer to the characteristics of the first bearer.

Bruun/Bruhn
Fast
Flink
From
Graae
Kruse
Modig
Spliid
Stub
Stærk
Rask/Rasch
Scheel/Skeel

Brown
Steady
Nice, decent
Good, sturdy (not pious)
Gray
Curly
Courageous
Discord
Stump (of a tree)
Strong
Quick, energetic
Crosseyed

Large numbers of other nicknames/bynames are found in medieval records, for example 'Kong Valdemars Jordebog' from the 1230s (a Danish cadastre, similar to the Domesday Book). However, many of these later became extinct or simply failed to become hereditary.

Last Updated ( Friday, 10 March 2006 )