r/Norway • u/Puzzleheaded_Fuel787 • 7d ago

Language Surnames that end with "Stad"

Watching a bunch of Anne Bjørnstad shows and I'm on Beforiegners now. I've noticed alot of the crew have "Stad" at the end of their names. Google says it means "place". Is that true. So would she be "Bearplace"?

Lots of 'Dottirs" as well but that one I understand.

Any assistance with this would be greatly appreciated. I love her shows and reading all the interesting surnames between them. Thank you in advance for any assistance.

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u/grenadeaple 7d ago

Yes, same as in the other germanic languages it means place, town or village.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Fuel787 7d ago

I didn't know that either. I really appreciate you all coming together to help me. Thank you.

I'm Germanic. I should know this stuff.

5

u/snoozieboi 7d ago

In the US they talk about Home steading and using the "place" as a verb "to make a home place".

Also cool "Stad" fact is that the whole prohibition time in the US, when alcohol was illegal, the official name was the "Vollstead act", from a guy with norwegian heritage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volstead_Act

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u/Tilladarling 7d ago

Fun fact: the English word homestead looks almost the same as the Norwegian word hjemsted (or old-fashioned heimstad). They share the same roots, but while hjemsted means “the place you come from,” homestead, as we know, usually refers to a farm or household. Same family of words - slightly different meaning ☺️

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u/villmann 7d ago

Heimstad is not old-fashioned you danishified bastard!

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u/Puzzleheaded_Fuel787 7d ago

That was an interesting read on him. I love learning. Thank you for sending that. I never knew a Norwegian helped with that.