How does the naming system work in Iceland?
The naming system in Iceland is the old Scandinavian system which all the countries once used. It is a paternal system where the father gives his children his first name as their last name adding -son if the child is a boy and -dóttir if the child is a girl.
How do Icelandic last names work?
Icelandic names are names used by people from Iceland. Generally, with few exceptions, a person’s last name indicates the first name of their father (patronymic) or in some cases mother (matronymic) in the genitive, followed by -son (“son”) or -dóttir (“daughter”).
Does every surname in Iceland end in son?
Iceland has a few peculiarities when it comes to names. First of all, Icelanders don’t have family names. The last name of a male Icelanders therefore usually ends in the suffix -son (“son”) and that of female Icelanders in -dóttir (“daughter”).
What is a patronymic system?
A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one’s father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one’s mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic.
What is the patronymic naming system in Iceland?
A simple family tree showing the Icelandic patronymic naming system. Icelandic names differ from most current Western family name systems by being patronymic or occasionally matronymic: they indicate the father (or mother) of the child and not the historic family lineage.
Do Icelandic names have to be male or female?
Icelandic given names will no longer be differentiated as being “male” or “female” in the national naming registry, RÚV reports. This means that anyone will be able to take any name in the registry, irrespective of gender, and marks a major change in Icelandic naming conventions.
What are the different types of last names in Iceland?
In Iceland there are two types of last names: A patronymic name or a family name. The more common type of Icelandic last-name is the patronymic or sometimes matronomyc name. This means a last name originating from a father’s or mother’s given name.
How do Icelandic names differ from other countries?
Icelandic names differ from most current Western family name systems by being patronymic or occasionally matronymic: they indicate the father (or mother) of the child and not the historic family lineage. Iceland shares a common cultural heritage with the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Faroe Islands.