efternamnet

Efternamnet is the definite form of the Swedish noun efternamn, meaning the surname or family name. It refers to the hereditary last name used to identify members of a family. In Swedish, the term is used to talk about a specific person’s surname, for example in a sentence like Hennes efternamn är Johansson.

Linguistically, efternamn is a compound of efter, meaning after, and namn, meaning name. It denotes the name that follows a given name and serves to identify a family line or lineage. The definite form, efternamnet, marks a particular surname in context.

Historical and cultural context: In Sweden and other Nordic countries, traditional naming included patronymics, where a child’s surname indicated the father’s name (for example Johansson, meaning “son of Johan”). Over time, many families adopted inherited, fixed surnames. In modern times, naming rules allow a variety of surname forms, including hyphenated or multiple surnames, and changes by marriage, adoption, or personal choice.

Usage today: In everyday life and official records, the efternamnet (or increasingly the efternamn in its indefinite form) is the primary identifier of a person’s family name. Surnames are used for sorting, legal identification, and genealogical research. The concept exists in Swedish and has parallels in other languages, where the term may be etternavn or surname.

See also: Surname, Family name, Patronymic naming.