Ødegård

Ødegård is a Norwegian surname and, less commonly, a place name used in rural Norway. The name is toponymic, originating from features of a farm or estate.

Etymology and meaning: The elements of the name are typically interpreted as øy or øy—meaning island—combined with gård, meaning farm or estate. The compound thus implies a farm located on or near an island or water-adjacent area. As a surname, Ødegård was originally assigned to people from such farms and later passed down through families.

Geography and usage: Ødegård appears in various parts of Norway as both a farm name and a family surname. Because farm names were commonly used as identifiers in rural communities, numerous unrelated families may bear the name today. The spelling with the letter ø is standard in Norwegian and Danish, while anglicized forms such as Odegaard or Odegard are sometimes encountered in international contexts.

Notable people: One widely recognized bearer of the name is Martin Ødegaard (born 1998), a Norwegian professional footballer who has played for Arsenal FC and the Norway national team. Other individuals with the surname may exist, reflecting its status as a common Norwegian toponymic surname.

Variants and related names: Variants include Odegaard, Odegard, and Ødegård, reflecting regional spelling variations and transliteration differences. These forms share the same etymological roots and often refer to the same type of ancestral farm.

See also: Ødegård as a place name and the surname variation Odegaard.