Surname
Most Swedish surnames in the 1700 and 1800s were patronymic. Patronymic surnames changed with each generation. For example, Lars Petterson was the son of a man named Petter. If Lars had a son Hans, the son would be known as Hans Larsson (son of Lars). Lars daughter Christine would be known as Christine Larsdotter (daughter of Lars). Where people used patronymics, a woman did not change her name at marriage. When a young man went into the military (one year training in 1800s was mandatory) he may be given a new surname to prevent confusion. In the late 1800s it was not uncommon to keep the name and sometimes when people emigrated from Sweden, the military name became the family surname. Other surnames were based on occupational, nicknames, or geographical based on their place of birth or residence. In 1901, Sweden passed a law requiring people to adopt permanent surnames to be passed onto successive generations. John Peter Extrom's parents used the patronymic system while living in Sweden. His father Magnus was the son of Magnus Pärrson, and used the name Magnus Magnusson. Peter's mother Kajsa Stina was the daughter of Nils Gustaf Stenholm and went by Kajsa Stina Gustafsdotter even after marriage. How the surname became Extrom is unknown.
Given Name
Magnus and Kajsa Stina had six children who came to Illinois. The childrens given name became Americanized when they immigrated.
Carl Gustaf > Charles A.
Johan > John
Jan Petter > John Peter, went by Peter most of the time
August > August
Anna Louisa > Louisa
Anders > Andrew
Immigration
Charles left Väse Parish on 22 Sep 1871. He went to the Port of Göteborg where on September 29, 1871 he departed for Boston. The Göteborg Passenger index lists him as Carl Gustaf Magnusson. The next record I have is applying for citizenship in Marshall County, Illinois on 27 Oct 1877. He used the name Chas. Ektrom. In the Marshall County 1880 Federal Census he was listed as Chas Extrom. Peter left Karlstad where he had been living on 23 Feb 1880 for America. I have not found the route. He is on the Marshall County 1880 Federal Census taken 2 June 1880 listed as John Extrom. Christina Moblad left Karlstad where she had been living on 15 October 1880 traveling from Göteborg, Sweden to Hull, England by ship; she then went to Liverpool, England where she boarded the “SS City of Montreal' for the Atlantic Ocean crossing to New York City, arriving at Castle Garden on the 29th of October. The ticket was to Chicago. John and August immigrated together on 6 April 1881. (Note that August had been married only a month and left his expectant wife behind.) They left from the Göteborg port by the steamship “Mursdin” for Hull, England. There they traveled overland to Liverpool where they boarded the “SS City of Rome” for the trip to New York City. They arrived on April 23, 1881. Their names on the manifest were August and Johan Magnusson. Charles returned to Sweden sometime after he was granted US citizenship on 27 Aug 1880. On 9 Jun 1882, the Göteborg Passenger index shows the following leaving Väse Parish for Varna, Illinois: Magnuson, Magnus, wife Kajsa, daughter Anna and son Anders; Ekström, C G (man) and son Gustaf; Ekström Lina and son Carl. Also leaving from Karlstad to Chicago was Sofia Larson who would become Charles wife. They traveled to Göteborg where they boarded the steamship “Argo” which departed for Hull, England on 9 Jun 1882. They probably arrived at Hull on the 11th as it was a two day journey across the North Sea. They moved overland, probably by railroad to Liverpool, England. There they boarded the steamship “City of Rome” for the Atlantic Ocean crossing to New York. They arrived at the New York Port on 26 Jun 1882 and were processed through the Castle Garden immigration facility. They arrived at Peter Extrom's home in Varna on 29 Jun 1882. Nettie Holmstrom, Gust's daughter told me that her father clearly recalled the day that seven of them arrived at Peter's home as that was the day that Ellen was born. Neither Nettie nor I could determine exactly who the seven were. Six or eight would make more sense, unless Sophia accompanied them to Varna. August's family probably went to his home.