Introduction to Norway
Our Remmen roots go back to
Europe, in the country of Norway, where our
ancestors lived and worked for generations on
small farms. These were not the large sprawling
farms growing huge crops for sale like those in
the United States. Instead, they were located
among the steep and mountainous fjords along the
western Norwegian coast in any location where the
land was capable of supporting a few buildings,
crops and animals.
These were subsistence
farmers, raising everything they needed to
survive, with perhaps a little to spare for
selling and trading. They also worked at other
trades that would allow them to make a living
from the land, such as logging and fishing.
Usually each farm would be
divided into separate smaller farms, each run by
a separate family. These families may or may not
be related. Each family would either own the
farm, or would be tenants on the farm in which
case they would rent just the house, or may lease
the house and land.
Norway
Geography
and Map of Norway
Farmers that worked their
own land would do so for generations, handing the
farm down from oldest son to oldest son. Since
each smaller farm unit could only support one
family, only the parents and oldest son would
remain on the farm. All the other brothers and
sisters would have to make their own way in the
world elsewhere, or stay on as a farm worker or
servant.
As the parents aged and
could no longer work to support themselves, they
would sign the farm over to the oldest son with
the agreement that they could continue to live
there for the rest of their lives receiving room
and board. This process would often be repeated
for many generations.
This way of life was also
represented in the system used for people's
names. For example, the people really only had a first
name, without a last name. Mons
would be known as Mons, the son of Elling. Thus,
the name Mons Ellingsen. Mons' sister Dorte would
be known as Dorte Ellingsdatter. If Mons then had
a son named Elling, he would be known as Elling
Monsen.
The farm
name also formed a part of the
name, but it actually represented the address
rather than a surname. For example, if Mons
Ellingsen lived on the farm Bødal, he would be
known as Mons Ellingsen Bødal, where Bødal
indicates the farm name. If Mons then moved to
the farm Remmem Indre, his name would become Mons
Ellingsen Remmem, and he would no longer use the
name Bødal. Around 1900 the laws were changed
and everyone was required to adopt permanent last
names.
Today, Norway is divided
into 19 counties, or "fylkes" (see map,
above). Each fylke is further divided into
separate units called "komunes." These
administrative levels are also identified by
their church parishes, which were further divided
into sub-parishes.