50+ Popular Norwegian Surnames and What They Mean

Naming expert Natalie Mulholland shares some of Norway’s most common family names

Co-authored by Natalie Mulholland and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Popular

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Patronymic

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Topographical

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Viking

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Unique

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If you want to blend in in Norway, you’ll need blonde hair, a pair of skis, and a suitably Viking-esque last name…well, maybe we can skip the stereotypes but stick with the surnames! We talked to naming expert Natalie Mulholland to help us put together a definitive list of the most common Norwegian last names, including patronymic family names, strong Viking surnames, and unique names from Norwegian nobles. Let’s go—or, kom igjen!

The 5 Most Common Norwegian Surnames

Naming expert Natalie Mulholland says that some of the most common Norwegian surnames include Larson (son of Lars), Erikson (son of Erik), Bonde (farmer), Møller (miller), Dahl (valley), Lund (grove), Moen (meadow), Olsen (son of Ole), and Anderson (son of Anders).

Section 1 of 6:

Popular Norwegian Last Names

The most popular Norwegian surnames include Jensen and Nilsen. As of 2022, these are the most common last names currently assigned to people living in Norway.^{[1]
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Research source} Mulholland explains that many Norwegian surnames are patronymic, or based on the father’s name, which is why they end in -sen or -son. Surnames may also be based on the father's occupation.^{[2]
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Expert Interview} (Read more in our section on patronymic surnames).
- Andersen: “Son of Anders.”^{[3]
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- Hansen: “Son of Hans.”
- Jensen: “Son of Jens.”
- Johansen: “Son of Johan.”
- Karlsen: “Son of Karl.”
- Kristiansen: “Son of Kristian.”
- Larsen/Larson: “Son of Lars.”^{[4]
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- Nilsen: “Son of Nils.”
- Olsen: “Son of Ole.”^{[5]
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- Pedersen: “Son of Peder.”
- Møller: “Miller.”^{[6]
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- Bonde: “Farmer.”^{[7]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Natalie Mulholland is a naming expert from Athens, Georgia. Since 2023, she’s also been a content creator focused on sharing the origin of names, plus what they mean and interesting people who’ve had that name before.

Section 2 of 6:

Patronymic Norwegian Last Names

Patronymic Norwegian surnames include Eriksen and Johnsen. The patronymic naming system originated with the Old Norse people, who would assign a surname to a child based on the identity of their father (e.g., the child of a man named Jacob would have the surname “Jacobsen”).^{[8]
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Research source} However, last names weren’t legally required in Norway until 1923, so most patronymic names only became “official” after that year.^{[9]
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Research source} Nowadays, parents no longer pass down their own first names, but patronymic family names are still passed down, and they remain the most common form of surname in Norway.
- Alfson: “Son of Alf.”
- Andreassen: “Son of Andreas.”
- Bjørnssen: “Son of Bjørn.”
- Carlsen: “Son of Carl.”
- Eriksen/Erikson: “Son of Erik.”^{[10]
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- Ibsen: “Son of Ib.”
- Jacobsen: “Son of Jacob.”
- Johannessen: “Son of Johannes.”
- Johnsen: “Son of John.”
- Nielsen: “Son of Niels.”
- Pettersen: “Son of Petter.”
- Torgersen: “Son of Torg.”

Section 3 of 6:

Topographical Norwegian Last Names

Topographical Norwegian surnames include Bakken and Dahl. Aside from patronymic names, Mulholland says that it’s common for Norwegian surnames to be based on the geographical area where a family lived.^{[11]
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Expert Interview} In some cases, they borrowed the name of their farm or town to create their surname. In other cases, they would reference a nearby landmark, such as a large hill or a notable fjord.^{[12]
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Research source} Here are some common examples:
- Bakken: “Hill” or “riverbank.”
- Berg: “Mountain” or “hill.”
- Dahl: “Valley.”^{[13]
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- Hagen: “Enclosure,” “fenced area,” or a reference to a farm called “Hagen.”
- Haugen: “Hill” or “mound.”
- Holm: “Small island” or “islet.”
- Lie (or Li): “Hillside,” “slope,” or a reference to a farm called “Lie” or “Li.”
- Lund: “Grove” or “small forest.”^{[14]
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- Moen: “Meadow,” “moor,” or “heathland.”^{[15]
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- Solberg: “Sunny mountain” or “sunlit rock.”
- Strand: “Beach” or “shoreline.”
- Vihovde: “Hill by the dwelling,” or a reference to a farm called “Vihovde.”

Section 4 of 6:

Norwegian Viking Last Names

Norwegian surnames associated with Vikings include Harfagr and Asgeir. It’s no surprise that much of the Western world associates the country of Norway with the Vikings, who once inhabited it. While the Vikings themselves are long gone, some of their most memorable and historically significant surnames live on. Here are just a few:
- Asgeir: “Spear of the gods” or “divine strength.”
- Audhild: “Wealth” or “battle.”
- Gormsson: “Bluetooth.” The surname of the Viking king who unified Denmark and Norway.
- Hårfagre: “Fair-haired.” The surname of King Harald I, the first king of Norway.^{[16]
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- Håkan: “High son.”
- Ingolf: “Wolf of Ing,” referring to the god Yngvi or Frey.
- Ragnarsson: “Son of Ragnar.” The surname of many notable Viking warriors and kings, including Sigurd and Ubbe Ragnarsson.

Section 5 of 6:

Unique Norwegian Last Names

Some of the most unique Norwegian names include Gyldenlove and Ulf. While it’s fun to learn about the most common last names in the beautiful country of Norway, it’s also interesting to hear about the other side of the coin! Below, you can read some of the rarest Norwegian surnames, including names with unique meanings, linguistic constructions, or noble histories:
- Collett: “Son of Colet.” Also the name of a noble Norwegian family.
- Falsen: “False” or “deceptive.”
- Gyldenlove: “Golden love.” Also the name of a noble Norwegian family.^{[17]
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- Kastanje: “Chestnut.”
- Knagenhjelm: “Knot” + “helmet,” referring to the noble family’s coat of arms.^{[18]
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- Kraft: “Strength” or “power.”
- Lind: “Linden tree.”
- Røed: “Clearing” or “cleared lands.”
- Ulf: “Wolf.”