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Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:28PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 14 Jan 2014 11:48PM GMT
Surnames: Olsdatter, Trondsen, Instenæs, Instanes, Larsdatter, Jårstad, Jarstad, Johannesdatter
My great (x4) maternal grandmother, Ingeborg Olsdatter was married on December 27, 1793 in the Kinsarvik Parish, Norway to Johannes Trondsen from the Instenæs farm. Thus the surname Instenæs in my maternal lineage. However, my maternal great-great grandmother's name was (Elen J) Elen Bergitt Larsdatter Jårstad (1836-1926). Despite the fact that Elen's father was Lars Arnesen Jårstad of Norway, the name that was written for "Father" on Elen's 1926 North Dakota Certificate of Death was "John Instaness." That was incorrect. Elen's maternal grandfather was Johannes Instanæs. But her father was Lars Arnesen Jårstad and her mother was Brita (Bereth) Johannesdatter Instanæs.

Elen's complete family lineage is very well documented within the Norwegian records, including Norwegian census reports. Her name was published in a book called Bygdebok, which kept accurate accounting of family names, marriages, baptisms, etc. Eighteen years after her baptism Elen's name was recorded in a Norwegian emigration document called Udflyttede meaning, Those Who Departed.

So, either (1) Elen's grandfather's name, Johannes Instanæs was written on her death certificate as "John Instaness" in place of her father's name or (2) her mother’s name, (Bereth) Brita Johannesdatter Instanæs, was confused or mistranscribed by Stanley, the person from North Dakota who filled out and signed the certificate. A clue that the writer was at least a bit confused is the fact that he attempted to make corrections over the names of Elen's parents on each line, making their names fairly difficult to decipher at first.

Misunderstanding of Norwegian names in America is common-place. It is clear that in the case of Elen’s Certificate of Death, her father's true name was "lost in the translation" by a misunderstanding of the Norwegian naming patterns.

Elen J's Ancestry Page and Documents
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/2776246/person/-1818487324

Norwegian Naming Patterns at
http://www.borgos.nndata.no/names.htm

Instanes Farm Location
This map locates the Instanes Farm, which was inherited by Johannes Trondsen Instanes (born 1757) from his father, Trond Ivarsen Instenæs (born 1720).
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zJOS8YlIdSrk.kK4V...

Re: Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Posted: 1 Mar 2014 4:41PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 1 Mar 2014 4:55PM GMT
Yes sometimes the informant on a death record is confused or misinformed, so true. Doesn't seem like it's the naming pattern causing the problem with Elen's death record, which names her father as "John" instead of "Lars." Typically in the USA "Lars" would become Lawrence or Lewis or just stay Lars, but I've not seen it change to John. So it seems her grandfather was mistakenly named. That must have been tricky to sort out!

But yes, as you say, the Norwegian naming pattern throws descendants in the USA into a tailspin, despite that it is actually rather straightforward. Even those of us who have studied it still get tripped up because it is not a fit with our own mindset.

You wrote:
"My great (x4) maternal grandmother... was married in 1793 ... to Johannes Trondsen from the Instenæs farm. Thus the surname Instenæs in my maternal lineage."

To clarify: Norwegian women kept their own names after marriage. Your ancestor did not acquire her husband's name of Instenæs from him. She did not move it "into your maternal lineage" via marriage. So that statement is a little misleading, probably just due to hasty word choice. Perhaps you meant she acquired that address name by moving there after her marriage.

Again, "Thus the surname Instenæs in my maternal lineage."

Instenæs is not a surname; it is an address name. I think of a surname as a last name that stays with a person and follows him/her around. The address name does not.

First name + patronymic name (father's first name + son or datter) stay with a person for life, male or female.

Address name is not always used, and when it is, it is usually a farm. The address name changes depending on the address of the person. You can be Gene Hays Chicago or Gene Hays Seattle or Gene Hays Tokoyo but you are always Gene Hays.

In the USA and elsewhere abroad, Norwegian immigrants chose a permanent surname, which was necessary to assimilate. Some chose their patronymic name; some chose an address name. So often we hear "They changed their name at Ellis Island" or similar statements. Probably not true. The descendant is likely not recognizing the nature of the ancestor's name back home.

Here's a link for death of Arne Torjulssen, age 75, at Jaastad in 1847 - and thus born about 1772 (think this is Lars's father):
http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&am...

å = aa, as you know (Jårstad = Jaastad)

Kinsarvik is a subparrish under Ullensvang parrish in Hordaland - to explain the place name in the above record I posted.

Love the links - thank you!

Re: Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Posted: 1 Mar 2014 10:05PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 3 Mar 2014 1:23AM GMT
Surnames: Digranæs, Digranes, Instanæs, Instanes, Jårstad, Jarstad, Jaarstad, Jaastad, Gjarstad
Yes! Takk, Falsterden!

You are correct on every account, including the link to Lar's father, Arne Torjulssen. Most Norwegian documents record him as Arne Torgylsen of Jårstad (1772-1847). When I said, "Thus the surname Instanæs in my maternal lineage," I should have clarified, "Thus, (North Dakota Medical Doctor Stand-in) Mr. Stanley's misassumption that the place-name Instanæs was the same as a Euro-American surname" and therefore he only wrote what he was able to understand, thinking that if her mother was “Bereth Instanæs,” then her family "surname" was Instanæs.(This was his mistake.) And I also agree with you that somehow the name of her maternal grandfather, Johannes of Instanæs, was pulled into the conversation and supplanted on the death certificate instead of her father's true name, Lars of Jårstad farm. (Again, the doctor's mistake.) This sort of lack of understanding will continue in the USA for a long time. Just take a look at the small field provided by the best in the business (Ancestry.com) on this Web page, which only says, "Surname." I wish it said, "Surname or Place Name." But in that "Surname" field I am forced to provide the place-names, Digranæs, Instanæs, and Jårstad, as I seek collaboration from others who might share a common maternal ancestor with me.

Here is the source of frustration for me: With that single North Dakota Certificate now surfacing, several members of ancestry.com have taken it as the new proof that Elen's father was a man named "John Instanes" as Stanley incorrectly wrote it, and that Elen's full name was therefore "Elen Instanes." These incorrect names (John Instanes & Elen Instanes) promulgate regardless of the fact that I have now submitted to ancestry.com numerous documents from Norway, all consistently recording Elen's name as Elen Bergitt Larsdatter Jårstad (aka Elen J), (b.1836), Jårstad farm and her father as Lars Arnesen Jårstad and her mother as Brita Johannesdatter Instanæs (aka Bereth), born 1804.

My maternal grandmother was;
Ethel Rose Marsh (b.1907), daughter of
Bertha Eleanor Evenson (b.1870), daughter of
Elen Bergitt Larsdatter Jårstad (aka Elen J), (b.1836), daughter of
Brita Johannesdatter Instanæs (aka Bereth) (b.1804), daughter of
Ingebjørg Oddsatter Instanæs (b.1771), daughter of
Guro Jørgensdatter Instanæs (b.1745), daughter of
Ingebjørg Larsdatter Digranes (b.1712), daughter of
Torbjørg Jonsdatter Digranæs (b.1677), daughter of …


Elen's father was Lars Arnesen of Jårstad, as recorded in Norwegian records including Elen’s baptism record. Lars was a tenant farmer at Jårstad. It is highly likely that this is why the young Elen and her groom Even left their parish and emigrated to America. He did not own land and Elen had numerous older siblings, so there was little chance that Elen & Even could raise children and buy a farm or run a business or inherit property from their parents. As you know, Norway was very poor at that time in history and the lure of "the New Land" with lots of land to plant was very appealing.

Among the other many Norwegian documents and records about Elen that I've obtained and translated, I have a copy of the above mentioned baptism record for Elen, born 24, January at Jårstad Farm and baptized as Elen Birgitte Larsdatter on 31 January 1836. Her parents were recorded as Lars Arnesen of Jårstad. Inderst.(renter) and Brita Johannesdatter (daughter of Johannes) Instanæs.

On side 249 of Ministerialbok (Ministerial Book) which includes the marriage record and wedding details for Elen & Even Evenson, it is recorded under 1854 that they were "ekteviede" (wedded) on February 23, 1854 in Hordaland fylke (county), Tysnes, Norway. This farm (Jårstad, Jaarstad, Gjarstad) has been documented using these optional spellings throughout the Norwegian record books. All 3 were the same farm with variations of Norwegian dialect, syntax, etc.
{{ Kildeinformasjon (Source Information):
Ministerialbok (Ministerial Book) Nr. A 10 (1848-1859),
Ekteviede (Wedded) 1854, side 249,
Hordaland fylke (county), Tysnes. }}

ELEN'S MOTHER: Bygdebok, page 424 records the marriage of Elen's mother, Brita (Bereth) Johannesdatter Instanæs. It shows Brita, born 1804 as Brita Johannesdatter Instanæs, married in 1834 to Lars Arnesen of Jårstad who lived in Tysnes, which is where their daughter, (Elen J) was married to Even Evenson on 23 February 1854, just months before Elen & Even left Norway for America, recording their names in the emigration records 'Udflyttede" (Those Who Left).

Takk, min venn!
Gene
Direct Maternal Genetic Lineage,
mtDNA = H39 > Norway

Re: Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Posted: 1 Mar 2014 11:22PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 1 Mar 2014 11:33PM GMT
Surnames: Digranæs, Digranes, Instanæs, Instanes, Jårstad, Jarstad

This is the record of the birth of Elen's maternal grandfather, Johannes Trondsen Instenæs, (of Instenæs farm) bruk #2, Kinsarvik Parish, Hordaland County, Norway, March 4, 1757. In this March 4, 1757 record of birth for Johannes Trondsen Instanæs, his parents are recorded as Trond Ivarsen Instanæs and Brita Johannisdtr. See #11 on right page. A progression of this farm name through the generations is clearly documented in these parish records.
Attachments:

Re: Norwegian Naming Patterns Are Often Misrepresented In America Records

Posted: 2 Mar 2014 12:45PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 2 Mar 2014 1:29PM GMT
Well that may be the most well researched and well stated reply I've ever seen on an Ancestry message board. Thanks for the clarification. I agree with every word.

You've created an explanation here that others can find via a Google search, so I hope it gets noticed by some of the people you mention, if you haven't been able to reach them through Ancestry message system.

Yes, Ancestry could - and should - do a better job of educating newcomers about how to use its hint system, emphasizing the limitations of it. Instead the company seems to want to give the impression that making a family tree on Ancestry is quick and easy. No wonder many newcomers mistakenly believe that a hint is delivering relevant and accurate information that they need not question. I hope that in your case, descendants eventually find their way to the accurate genealogy you are creating.

And yes the Ancestry system doesn't work well for sorting out the patronymic name from the address name (or other identifier name). Recently a new field for the person's name was added - at least I see one - called Suffix. So I can enter "First and Middle Name" and then "Surname" and then "Suffix." I am slowly going back over my tree and moving any place names that I used, carelessly before thinking it through, and putting the place names in the "Suffix" category. I don't believe in entering a place name as a surname (although I certainly have done that, same as you). The same person could have more than one place name in his/her life - and often does. In a similar way I differ from those who enter a woman's name as her married name. Blows my mind why anyone would do that. But some do. (They remember "Grandma Andersen," so there you go. Her name is Andersen, to them.) The Scandinavian "surname" problem is harder to address.

I wasn't totally clear about you saying you might miss out on making connections with others depending on the name you enter in the name field. You can always search the Ancestry Trees database to find them (search for the variations of the person's name that might be used). True, if you use a different "surname" than others are using, you might not get an Ancestry hint about them, and they might not get a hint about you, but those trees are still searchable and reachable by you, aren't they? I should add that I have never used a connect feature, so perhaps I misunderstand.

Would be far better to have a uniform way of handling names. As far as I know, Ancestry users are not adhering to a standard protocol for handling Scandinavian names, and would be nice if Ancestry's name fields were given titles clarifying what a "Suffix" can be, and even add additional suffix options (Ole Iversen Jaastad the younger, for example,).

If you have a different take or tweak on the above, I'd be interested to hear it.

Meanwhile, keep fighting the good fight!
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