[#1492] Surnames, Farm names, Patronymic names

[Gjest Sue Barham]

In the Norwegian Naming Practices Document I find that the farm name was added to the father's name as kind of any "address". I am beginning to think that my gr grandfather, Bernt Haagensen, must have been a unique person from the time of his birth, June 1835, according to US 1900 Census. His birth doesn't seem to be recorded in the Hof/Aasnes/Våler church books. But his confirmation has been, at age 18. His parents married late December 1836. What would his name have been when his birth WAS recorded? Did illegitimate children bear some stigma in this time period?

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

First of all one should wonder if the year of birth given in the US 1900 Census is correct. One will one find that it is one or two years off. So your gr grandfather could very well be born in June 1836, or perhaps June 1837. His name at time of his baptism would be Bernt, Haagensen would be added, and normally he would adopt the name of the farm or home his family had. Illegitimate children would be registered in the parish records, and even if they in many ways did bear a stigma, they should be on record like anyone else.

[Gjest Sue Barham]

Thanks Yngve, (by the way, how do you say your first name)? I am wondering if someone said, as my grandfather did "I am from Sølor area of Norway" could that include Elverum? I found a Haagen Olsen listed there in the 1865 census, although I must confess, the location description is unintelligible.

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

Elverum is in the southern part of Østerdalen, on the Solør border. I do not think people in Elverum in general would like to refer to themselves as being from Solør, but if a person was born in Solør and lived in Elverum he could of course do that.(I regard my first name as rather unpronouncable in English.)