Re: Soldiers on farms
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In reply to:
Soldiers on farms
Thomas Taimi 9/27/10
You can read here about soldiers: http://www.kentsgenealogy.com/soldiers.htmlhttp://www.kentsgenealogy.com/soldiers.html
http://www.sydaby.eget.net/sjw/apw.htmhttp://www.sydaby.eget.net/sjw/apw.htm
http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/mats/history_of_the_swedish_military.htmhttp://www.gotavapen.se/gota/mats/history_of_the_swedish_military.htmAlthough this is about Sweden, Finland was a part of Sweden until 1809, and they followed the same procedure.This gives a good description.
At the end of the 17th century the military system of Sweden was completely reorganized and the system was to remain in effect for over 200 years. Simplified it specified that four farms (there were exceptions) were to join forces and equip a soldier and provide him with a house (soldattorp). The soldier was to attend military drills and in time of war was to report for duty, wherever that might be. Since he had a rural background he had a patronymic, which might be very common, such as Andersson, Eriksson, Olsson or Petersson. When he appeared before the military scribe he was given a soldier's name, which he kept during his service and which he often retained when he was pensioned or left the service. The name was usually short, consisting of only one syllable.They can be divided into various groups:
1.Military terms -
Granat = grenade
Pistol = pistol
Kanon =cannon
Sabel = sabre
Kask = hat
Spjut = spear
Kula = shot
Svärd = sword
2.Personal characteristics -
Fast = steady
Flink = fast
From = pious
Modig = courageous
Stadig = sturdy
Stark = strong
Trofast = dependable
Trogen =loyal
3.Nature names -
Al = alder
Alm = elm
Ek = oak
Gran = pine
Gren = branch
Lind = linden
Löf = leaf
Lönn = maple
Qvist = twig
Sjö = lake
4.Names taken from place names -
Abborre from Abborberget
Berg from Berghem
Dahl from Dalsland
Murberg from Murum Parish
Names from Guilds and Craftsmen
Many lads of rural background left the farm to enter some kind of trade. Usually he started out as an apprentice, then became a journeyman, finally ending up as a master in some Swedish town. In the change from farm life to city life he also assumed a surname. These names were usually linked to some form of nature name or topographic locality.
1. Nature names
Here imagination had full sway. Usually in two syllables, they were combinations of every imaginable tree coupled with some nature form or topographical entity. Let us try a sample. The linden tree is very popular in Sweden and has given rise to names like - Lind, Lindahl, Lindbeck, Lindberg, Lindberger, Lindblad, Lindblom, Lindbom, Linde, Lindeberg, Lindeblad, Lindeborg, Lindegård, Lindegren, Lindell, Lindekrantz,Lindenbaum, Lindenkrona, Lindenstrand, Linder, Linderholm, Linderoth, Lindfeldt, Lindfors, Lindgren, Lindhagen, Lindholm, Lindman, Lindmark, Lindmarker, Lindner, Lindörn, Lindorm, Lindquist, Lindroth, Lindsfeldt, Lindskog, Lindstam, Lindstedt, Lindståhl, Lindstrand, Lindström, and Lindvall.
The same pattern can be used with other trees - al, alm, björk, bok, ceder, ek, en, fur, gran, hägg, lönn, palm, and tall.
2. Topographical names
By fusing topographical syllables it was possible to create hundreds of new names - 'ås, bäck, berg, born, borg, brink by, dal, fält, fors, holm, hult, lund, mark, näs, sand, sjö, skog, strand, ström, vall and vik.
Some samples come to mind - Åsbrink, Backström, Bergström, Born, Borgström, Brink, Byström, Dahllöf, Åfäldt, Forsman, Holmquist, Hultgren, Lundberg, Lundmark, Näsbom, Sandberg, Sjöholm, Skoglund, Strandlund, Strömberg,Vallberg and Vikström.
This is in Swedish, but there are pictures:
http://www.garnisonsmuseet.se/soldattorpet.htmlhttp://www.garnisonsmuseet.se/soldattorpet.html