--- Gerald Mcharg <Gerald.Mcharg@...>
wrote:

> Berglaug
> Many thanks. Because Icelandic is renowned as being
> conservative (linguistically), I am prepared to risk
> using your modern version if I can't get hold of an
> Old Icelandic copy.
> There is another question which may be of interest
> to others as well as myself. Part of my course will
> show how in English, surnames came to take the place
> of patronymics because of the exponential rise in
> population. But Iceland has never to my knowledge
> had a population explosion to compare with it. What
> system operates in Iceland. Do all girls (and boys)
> take the names of their fathers so that there is a
> different patronymic in every generation or is your
> last name truly a surname? I've wondered about this
> on and off for years.
> I think the retention of 'dottir' in last names is
> wonderful. I would love it if my own daughter were
> called Meg Jedardottir instead of Mc Harg.
> Once again, thanks very much.
> Cheers
> Jed

Jed-

I don't know if it will help you, but I can tell you
what happened to my family in regards to our last name
when they arrived in the U.S. from Iceland in the late
1800's.

Essentially, we didn't have a last name and were told
we'd have to come up with one to become Americans.
Jonson and Weaver (my Great-great grandfather's
profession)were considered, but Westdal was finally
chosen as a reminder of our old home. I'm sure
everyone reading this knows what my name means, even
in it's slightly Americanized form.

Of course when patronymics where changed in England,
it was a different time, place, and situation.
However, I thought it might be interesting to know
what happened in a specific history.

The courses you teach sound very intriguing.

Jenny












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