Erfingja

Erfingja is a noun in Icelandic that designates a female heir, i.e., a woman who inherits property, a title, or an estate from a predecessor. The term is used in historical and genealogical contexts as well as in everyday language when discussing inheritance. It is the feminine form connected to the masculine erfingi, meaning “heir.”

In Icelandic texts, erfingja often appears in discussions of lineage, succession, and landholding within families and, historically, among the nobility and landowning classes. The word illustrates how Icelandic, like many languages, employs gendered terms to differentiate between male and female heirs. Modern usage tends to occur in discussions of family history, property law, or genealogy, where gendered terms for heirs are contrasted with masculine or gender-neutral equivalents.

Etymology and related forms reflect Icelandic’s broader patterns for forming feminine nouns from masculine bases or related kinship terms. While erfingja is most directly understood as “heiress,” the surrounding language may use other forms or terms depending on dialect, register, or historical period.

See also: heiress, heir, inheritance, Icelandic language.