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Wally
Medium member
USA
142 Posts |
 Posted - 16/07/2007 : 19:31:55
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Hi, Here is a question someone could answer.
My relatives, my grandmother and her family, went by the last name of Sivertsen in Norway.
However, here it was changed to Severson.
Did they change it as they left Norway, or was it change by some bureacratic snafu when they came to the US in 1881? |
Wally Rutter |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 00:35:29
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Hi,
the 1880's was not like 2007. Of course they didn't go to any registration office in Norway, asking for new ID cards with the name spelled Severson on it.
Most likely they never "initiated" the change themselves. They probably didn't even speak English at the time of emigration.
The spelling Severson could probably originate from an office clerk writing down the name the way they pronounced it when they applied for the naturalisation papers, or when doing the census.
I don't believe he said, "Our lastname is spelled S-E-V-E-R-S-O-N"..., he probably said "Sivertsen" as he had always used, and the clerk wrote down "Severson"... 
Jan Peter |
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
1100 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 01:56:16
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No one changed anyone's name at Ellis Island either!!
Recommend you read the article here "Those Norwegian Names".
Severson is just an Americanized version of their Norwegian name. |
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
692 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 02:45:59
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I was just reading about this again, in "They Became Americans", by Loretto Dennis Szucs, since I am searching for naturalization papers for my great grandfather and keep hitting brick walls.
Here is a quote from that book.
"For any number of reasons, immigrants often changed their names deliberately or had them changed inadvertently after arriving in the United States." pg. 116.
I've learned that my ancestors didn't seem to mind when their name was changed or misspelled. I think that with so many people coming from different countries, it was the U.S. government that had to try very hard to keep the spelling of names the same. Changing their name, wasn't going to help anyone, especially the government, who needed to keep track of these immigrants for many reasons, including taxation, criminal records, etc... |
Lislcat |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 03:17:26
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Usually a person in the US can adopt any name desired for any reason; most states allow one to legally change their name by usage only.
The federal courts have overwhelmingly ruled that changing one's name at will, by common law, is clearly one's Constitutional right. Nonetheless, one may still choose to have a court issued name change. State laws can regulate name changes in the United States; still, they cannot altogether forbid common law name changes.
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
692 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 05:55:36
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Yes, according to Wikipedia, but did that apply in 1881? It may have, but that sounds fairly current. I'm not sure when that part of the 14th amendment came into effect. It was mostly created for the purpose of giving rights to former slaves. States also had rights to change names, but I'm not sure what year or years that happened. Just for the record, Wikipedia is not a reliable source, since anyone can change the information that is put on there. People have put in death dates for people that haven't died. I'm not saying that there aren't facts on there, but "quoting" it as fact, may not be safe.
Good luck!
Wanda |
Lislcat |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 15:03:45
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When looking at Wikipedia you do indeed have to research further since it is information freely added and edited by the general public. But the sentences were clear and understandable and correct to my knowledge of the law and earlier case history research. The language might sound current - but this area of common law is actually derived from antiquity.
The 14th amendment was ratified in the late 1860's and the states still retain the powers to specify their own laws regarding name changes so long as they do not infringe upon the consitutional rights of the citizen.
In the US people are allowed to change their name whenever they want to… unless it is for a fraudulent purpose. There are several other limitations that are not applicable to the original question.
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
1100 Posts |
Posted - 17/07/2007 : 17:39:32
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As Jan Peter said, the 1880's are not like 2007, you have to put the whole issue of "name changes" into historical perspective. This was before social security registration, computers, photo ID's and all our modern trappings of identification. It was very easy to change/modify/Americanize a name especially new immigrants that did not own property or a business.
Our 10 year Federal census were done for statistical purposes, to track population growth, plan for schools and infrastructure. They were not meant to provide family history information generations later. The census taker would go to people's homes, write down the information in his notebook and then go back to the census headquarters and enter the information into the census register books. Of course, the spellings got garbled. One census take could deal with many different immigrants with many different accents.
I am sure most of us has seen examples of brothers and parents all using different names here and it was strictly a matter of personal choice, not a bureacrat forcing them to change.
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Edited by - Jo Anne Sadler on 17/07/2007 17:41:38 |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
Posted - 31/07/2007 : 09:33:43
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Hi Wally
I'm from Australia and have norwegian ancestors. Let me give you some of the name changes I've uncovered here.
Firstly "sen" simply means son of so his father would have possibly been called sivert. In the same way in old scotland Mc or Mac meant son of e.g. MacDonald son of Donald. "Datter" often abbreviated to "dr" means daughter of, so my GGG Grandmother Maren Gurine Jensdr (daughter of Jens Ellingsen = Jensdr or Jensdatter) was known in Australia as Marian Georgina Leth but never came here. These were just the english versions of her name from her son and they have carried on in the family for generations.
Many new migrants even in this day and age have very limited or no english and, as Jan Peter says, their names were simply spelt the way they pronounced them. My Grandfather was Jorg or Jorgen Emil Leth but was known in Australia as George all his life. (his death certificate calls him George Emily ... ha ha)
Good luck in your searches
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unclepete |
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Wally
Medium member
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 27/09/2009 : 20:41:18
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| Another name I am looking at also comes from my family, Edward Iverson. My typewriter doesn't have Norweigen characters on it, but his dad was listed as Ole Iverson, and then some Norweigen last name. |
Wally Rutter |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
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hasto
Senior member
Norway
294 Posts |
Posted - 28/09/2009 : 08:33:10
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The identity of a common Norwegian about 1880 was in his given name. To identify himself then he added his patronymic and/or his farm name (his address). His patronymic was a reference to his father's given name. Common Norwegians did not get permanent family surnames before 1923 (by law).
When they came to America they had to choose a family surname. They might use their own patronymic, their father's patronymic, or their farm name.
Before 1880 their identity was in the spoken name, the pronounced name. They said their name, and the different clerks or pastors wrote it down according to their own style of spelling. About 1850 the name Syvertsen might be spelled Siversen or Sjursen, and was regarded as the same name.
I think I have found your folks in Norway. They were from Hellesfjord on Edøy in Møre og Romsdal county.
1865 census:
Edvard was born 11 August 1859 #84
He was son of Ole Iversen Hellesfjord and Elen Hansdatter.
In 1900 his eldest brother Gabriel runs the farm 1900 census, so probably the father Ole Iversen also emigrated. Then it was likely that his sons would use Iversen as a surname in America.
In 1889 John (Johannes) was already an American citizen. He has been home and returns to America 1889 Kristiansund port He brings with him his sisters Hanna Olava, born 1863 and Johanna, born 1865. |
Harald S Storaker
4586 Korshamn, Norge |
Edited by - hasto on 28/09/2009 10:16:21 |
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Changing last names
