Norwegian surnames are a window to this past. In Norway, you’ll often find last names ending with “-sen.” This follows the age-old Scandinavian tradition of patronymic naming, which conveys a lineage or ancestry directly in one’s last name.
For example, if we dissect a name like “Hansen,” it comprises two elements: “Hans,” a first name, and “sen,” a suffix that translates to “son of.” Therefore, in a literal sense, “Hansen” signifies “son of Hans.”
This was once a living naming tradition, where children were bestowed surnames based on their father’s first name. So if your father were named Hans, you’d be known as Hans’ son, hence, Hansen.
This naming system serves as a historical narration of familial connections. It’s akin to a breadcrumb trail that leads back to one’s ancestors.
Yet, while this practice is historical, the patronymic names in modern Norway have become static or family names, handed down, irrespective of the father’s first name.
Also, see a list of Nordic Male Names to learn more.
Last Names Related to Norwegian Ancestry
- Andersen
- Andreassen
- Arnesen
- Bakke
- Berg
- Berntsen
- Birkeland
- Bjørnstad
- Borge
- Brekke
- Carlsen
- Christensen
- Christiansen
- Dahl
- Danielsen
- Egeland
- Eide
- Eliassen
- Engen
- Eriksen
- Espeland
- Evensen
- Fosse
- Fredriksen
- Gabrielsen
- Gundersen
- Haaland
- Hagen
- Halvorsen
- Hammer
Also, see a list of Danish Surnames to learn more.
- Hansen
- Hanssen
- Haugen
- Hauge
- Henriksen
- Hovland
- Iversen
- Jacobsen
- Jakobsen
- Johansen
- Johnsen
- Jørgensen
- Karlsen
- Knutsen
- Kristiansen
- Kvamme
- Larsen
- Lie
- Lien
- Lind
- Lunde
- Madsen
- Martinsen
- Mathisen
- Mikalsen
- Moe
- Myhre
- Myklebust
- Nilsen
- Olsen
- Olsson
Also, see a list of Swedish Surnames to learn more.
- Pedersen
- Petersen
- Pettersen
- Rasmussen
- Rogne
- Rønning
- Sivertsen
- Solberg
- Stene
- Svendsen
- Sørensen
- Thomassen
- Torgersen
- Torp
- Vold
- Ødegaard
- Øien
- Aas