An Introductory Guide to Scandinavian Naming Patterns

Welcome Jenny Hansen of My Favorite Ancestor as a guest writer today! One of the biggest challenges for research in Denmark, Norway and Sweden is understanding the Scandinavian naming patterns.  I have an experiment I like to conduct when I teach groups about Scandinavian research.  I ask, “Who here is related to Hans Jensen?”  Usually the majority of the room answers in the affirmative.  This question would be similar to asking if anyone is related to John Smith, except multiplied by about 100! Scandinavian Naming Patterns Our Scandinavian ancestors, like many other cultures, used patronymic surnames. The term patronymics refers to the practice of using the father’s given name as…