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/ManWhoIsDrunk 7d ago

Bjørnstad would be Bearplace or Bearstead, yes.

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u/No-Gold-5562 7d ago

Not quite that easy!

The most known professor of Norwegian place-names, professor Oluf Rygh, was the writer of the booke called "Norske gaardsnavne" (Norwegian farmnames).

These books may be searched online.

Bjørnstad might be "the place of (the animal) bear", but may also be "Bjørns (name of the man who founded the farm) place" and "Bjarnirs (or Bjarnes) place.

https://www.dokpro.uio.no/rygh_ng/rygh_felt.html