How do Danish last names work?

The predominant type of surname in Denmark is patronymic. Such names are based on the father’s given name. If Niels had a son named Iver, the son would be known as Iver Nielsen (Iver son of Niels) and his brothers would be surnamed Nielsen, while his sisters would be known as Nielsdatter (daughter of Niels).

What was Denmark called before?

In Old Norse, the country was called Danmǫrk , referring to the Danish March, viz. the marches of the Danes. The Latin and Greek name is Dania . According to popular legend, however, the name Denmark, refers to the mythological King Dan.

Was Denmark ever a great power?

In the 11th century, King Canute ruled over a vast kingdom that included present-day Denmark, England, Norway, southern Sweden, and parts of Finland. In that time, Denmark was a superpower, comparable to today’s largest European countries.

Why do Danish names end in Sen?

The patronymic naming system was used in all of Scandinavia. That means a Scandinavian’s family name was formed by taking the first name of the natural father and adding sen, son, sson, søn, datter, dotter, or dottir to it.

What is sen in Danish?

Danish people generally use -sen (or just -s, as in Johns instead of Johnsen) for a son and -datter or -sdatter for a daughter. Southern Danes sometimes used -sen or -s for a daughter, as well. Danish surnames ending in -sen are the most common type of Danish surname these days.

What is the most common Danish last name?

As of January 2021, Nielsen was the most common surname in Denmark. In that year, 239,656 people bore the name in the country. That was around two thousand individuals more compared to the second most popular surname, Jensen.

Why do Danish have two last names?

Scandinavia. Denmark has a tradition of double surnames originating in the 19th century. This was a result of two naming acts obliging commoners to adopt heritable surnames, passed first for the Duchy of Schleswig in 1771, and then for Denmark proper in 1828.

Why do Danish last names end in Sen?

The most common Danish family name surnames are patronymic and end in -sen; for example Rasmussen, originally meaning “son of Rasmus” (Rasmus’ son). Descendants of Danish or Norwegian immigrants to the United States frequently have similar names ending in the suffix “-sen” or have changed the spelling to “-son”.

What are the most common Danish last names that don’t end in -Sen?

The majority of Danish last names are based on patronymics, so the first surname on the list that doesn’t end in -sen (son of) is Møller, all the way down at #19. Those which aren’t patronymics derive mainly from nicknames, geographic features, or occupations.

Who were the most famous Danish monarchs?

Among the most famous Danish monarchs during that period have been Christian IV (1588-1648), an innovator and builder whose works are still visible throughout Copenhagen, and Christian VII (1766-1808), whose struggle with mental illness was the basis for the Oscar-nominated movie A Royal Affair (2012).

What percentage of the population in Denmark has the name Poul?

While it is the 16th most common surname in Denmark, it is shared by less than 1\% of the population. A Danish patronymic surname that translates as “son of Poul,” a Danish version of the given name Paul.

Where does the Danish royal family live?

The Danish Royal Family has nine castles around the country, but their main residence is Amalienborg Castle in Copenhagen, where both Queen Margrethe II and Crown Prince Frederik’s young family spend much of their time. Built in 1750 in the rococo style, the waterfront castle consists of four noble buildings surrounding an octagonal courtyard.