Fróðadóttir

Fróðadóttir is an Icelandic feminine patronymic meaning “Fróði’s daughter.” It would be used for a woman whose father was named Fróði. In Icelandic naming practice, individuals typically do not have fixed hereditary surnames; instead, last names identify a parent. The form is created by taking the father’s given name and adding the suffix -dóttir; the corresponding masculine form would be Fróðason (Fróði’s son). The given name Fróði is of Old Norse origin and is associated with roots that are often interpreted as meaning “wise” or “learned.”

Fróðadóttir appears in historical records and in Icelandic literature, and may also be used by modern Icelanders whose father is named Fróði. Because Icelandic patronymics are not fixed family names, siblings of different genders bear different surnames (for example, a daughter would be Fróðadóttir and a son Fróðason). In contemporary Iceland, naming laws regulate the registration of given names and patronymics, and people are generally addressed by their first names in daily life.

Notable uses: there are no widely known individuals whose primary identity is solely “Fróðadóttir” in English-language sources; when encountered in Icelandic contexts, it is understood as a patronymic rather than a hereditary surname.