Eriksdotter Family History & Genealogy

History

A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Name Origin

From the Old Norse name Eiríkr, derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and ríkr "ruler". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
"Dotter" denotes daughter. Swedish surnames used a Patronymic naming convention was used up through the early twentieth century.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Erik, Aric, Erick (English), Erik (Swedish), Erich, Erik (German)

Nationality & Ethnicity

This common Norse name was first brought to England by Danish settlers during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was not popular in England in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, in part due to the children's novel 'Eric, or Little by Little' (1858) by Frederic William Farrar

Famous People named Eriksdotter

Margareta Eriksdotter, daughter of King Erik XIV. Vasa Dynasty.

Early Eriksdotters

These are the earliest records we have of the Eriksdotter family.