Swedishonomastics

Swedishonomastics is the study of the origin, history, and meaning of Swedish place names and personal names. It falls under the broader field of onomastics, which is the study of names in general. Swedishonomastics investigates how geographical features, historical events, social structures, and linguistic changes have influenced the development of names in Sweden.

Place name studies, or toponymy, in Sweden often analyze elements that describe landscape features such as rivers, mountains, forests, and settlements. Common suffixes like -by (village), -stad (town), -hem (home), and -hult (small forest) are frequently examined. The linguistic origins of these names are traced, often revealing connections to Old Norse, Germanic, and even earlier Finnic or Sami languages. Historical layers in place names can indicate periods of Swedish expansion, colonization, or the founding of new settlements.

Personal name studies, or anthroponymy, in Sweden look at given names and surnames. Traditional Swedish given names often have roots in Norse mythology, saints' names, or descriptive terms. Surnames in Sweden have evolved significantly. Historically, many were patronymic (e.g., -son, -dotter), but over time, occupational names, descriptive names, and "nature names" (often inspired by plants, animals, or landscapes) became common, particularly with the formalization of surnames in the 17th and 18th centuries. The ongoing study of Swedishonomastics helps to understand Swedish history, culture, and language through the lens of its naming traditions.