Viking surnames of the UK revealed by experts

Viking surnames of the UK revealed by experts



Millions of Britons could be descendants of Vikings - especially if their surname ends in 'son', according to experts.

Despite it being more than 900 years since the Viking Age, millions of people in the UK can trace their roots back to the Scandinavian invaders.

And experts say surnames can give you an indication of a possible Viking heritage in your family, with anything ending in 'son' or 'sen' likely to be a sign.



Other surnames which could signal a Viking family history include 'Roger/s' and 'Rogerson' and 'Rendall'.

Names which refer to a personal characteristic were also common among Vikings, such as 'Long', 'Short', 'Wise', 'Lover' and 'Good.'

Researchers from the Centre for Nordic Studies, University of the Highlands and Islands and the TV channel HISTORY revealed the surnames linked to Viking settlers as part of a new survey.

Dr Alexandra Sanmark, from the University of the Highlands and Islands, said: 'Vikings in Britain can be traced through archaeological evidence, such as burials, place-names, DNA studies, Scandinavian influence on the English language.



'The people of the Viking Age did not have family names, but instead used the system of patronymics, where the children were named after their father, or occasionally their mother.

'So, for example the son of Ivar would be given their own first name and then in addition "Ivar's son".

'A daughter would be Ivar's daughter.



A famous example from a 13th-century Icelandic saga, describing the Viking Age, is Egil Skallagrimsson, who was the son of a man named Skalla-Grim, she added.

She said: 'This naming pattern still remains in use in Iceland today but has been abandoned in Scandinavia in favour of family names, just like in the UK.

'People of the Viking Age would often have a descriptive nickname, for example two of the Earls of Orkney who were known as Sigurd the Stout and Thorfill Skullsplitter.'

Orkney and Shetland, where the Viking heritage is very strong, is home to many names which can be traced back to the period including 'Linklater', 'Flett', 'Scarth', 'Heddle' and 'Halcro'.



Scottish names such as 'McIvor', 'MacAulay' and 'McLeod' could also signal a Viking family history.

But the research found many Brits have no idea about key Viking facts, with one in five having no idea they originated from Scandinavia.

And almost one in ten believe the Viking Age was around the 15th - 18th century - despite this being the era of rulers such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

One in four were also unaware the Vikings raided the UK, with more than one in twenty believing they targeted south America instead.