tangen

Tangen is a toponym and surname of Scandinavian origin. The term is tied to a geographic sense, typically referring to a projecting landform such as a tongue-like spit or peninsula along a coast or river. In Norwegian and Danish place-names, tangen often signals a shoreline feature where land extends into the water or narrows into a tongue-shaped point.

As a surname, Tangen originated from toponymic naming, adopted by families from farms or villages named Tangen. Over time, people associated with such places took the farm name as a family surname. The name is most common in Norway and among descendants of Norwegian emigrants in other countries.

Geographic usage is widespread in Norway, where several localities carry the name Tangen, typically as village or farm names within various municipalities. In historical records, the toponym appears in medieval charters and parish documents, reflecting its long-standing function as both a geographic descriptor and a family name.

Etymology and related forms: the name derives from a word segment meaning tongue or tongue-like landform, a common feature in coastal and riverine landscapes. Variants and related forms observed in Scandinavian contexts include spellings such as Tange or Tang, reflecting regional orthographic differences.

See also: tangent, topographic terms for coastal landforms, and other place-name elements related to spit or peninsula.