Editing Patronymic (section)

====Norse languages====
{{see also|Icelandic name | Swedish name |Scandinavian family name etymology}}

In Norse custom, patronyms and matronyms were formed by using the ending -son (later -søn and -sen in [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and German) to the [[genitive case|genitive]] form of the father's name to indicate "son of", and -dóttir ([[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] and Faroese -dóttir, [[Swedish language|Swedish]] and Norwegian -dotter, Danish and Norwegian -datter) for "daughter of". The resulting patronymic was generally not used as a surname; however, a third name, a so-called byname based on location or personal characteristic, was often added to differentiate people and could eventually develop into a kind of [[family name]]. Some [[Early Modern]] examples of the latter practice, where the patronymic was placed after the given name and was followed by the surname, are Norwegian [[Peder Claussøn Friis]], the son of Nicolas Thorolfsen Friis (Claus in Claussøn being short for Nicolas) and Danish [[Thomas Kingo|Thomas Hansen Kingo]], the son of Hans Thomsen Kingo.

Eventually, most Nordic countries replaced or complemented this system with the prevailing "international" standard of inherited family names. In Norway, for example, the [[Storting|parliament]] passed a family name act in 1923, citing the rising population and the need to avoid the confusion of new last names in every generation. The law does allow a person to retain a patronymic as a [[middle name]] in addition to the surname, as was common in Early Modern times; this is not a common practice but does occur, a modern example being [[Audhild Gregoriusdotter Rotevatn]]. The Danish government outlawed the practice in 1856 and eased the regulations in 1904 to deal with the limited number of patronymics. In Sweden the practice of children keeping their father's and wives taking their husband's patronymic as a surname occurred in the 18th century but was first prevalent in the late 19th century. Patronymics were normal in Sweden, at least in rural Sweden, until the 19th century. From the end of the 19th-century patronymics gradually became less common in Sweden until they were abolished in 1966. In 1982 the right to use patronyms (and matronyms) was partially restored; a person (or the parents of a child) had to apply and pay a fee. From 1 July 2017 parents in Sweden are free to give their children patronyms/matronyms at birth instead of inherited family names, and any person can change their last name to a matronymic or patronymic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 April 2016 |title=En ny lag om personnamn |url=http://www.regeringen.se/rattsdokument/lagradsremiss/2016/04/en-ny-lag-om-personnamn/ |access-date=21 April 2016}}</ref>

Matronyms were used exceptionally if the child was born out of wedlock, or if the mother was much more high-born or well-known than the father, a historical example being [[Sweyn Estridsson]].

[[Icelandic name|In Iceland]], patronymics or matronymics are still used as last names, and this is, in fact, required by law, with a handful of exceptions. For almost all cases, the father's name (usually in the genitive case) is used, plus the word ''son'' for sons or ''dóttir'' for daughters.<ref name="namelaw">{{Cite web |last=slands |first=Alþingi Í |title=Lög um mannanöfn |url=http://www.althingi.is/lagas/135a/1996045.html |access-date=2 April 2008 |language=is}}</ref> For example, [[Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir]] (i.e. "Jóhanna, daughter of Sigurð[ur]"). People who do not identify as male or female ([[Non-binary gender|nonbinary people]]) can also use the suffix ''-bur'', which means ''child of''''.<ref>[https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/udland/island-bryder-med-tradition-son-eller-dottir Kristeligt Dagblad: ''Island bryder med tradition for son eller dottir'']</ref>

In 2022, the [[Swedish Tax Agency]] denied a [[Gotland]] woman's application to change her surname to one with the [[Gutnish]] ending ''-dotri'' (instead of ''-dotter'') on the grounds that it did not follow Swedish conventions. The administrative court in Stockholm decided in her favour on appeal,<ref>[https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/skatteverket-darfor-overklagar-vi-beslutet-om-gutniska-efternamnet Sveriges Radio P4 Gotland: ''Skatteverket: Därför överklagar vi beslutet om gutniska efternamnet'']</ref> with the Tax Agency in turn taking the case to the Court of Appeal; in early 2023, the Court of Appeal finally ruled that she was allowed to use a Gutnish surname.<ref>[https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/vandningen-julia-far-heta-andersdotri-i-efternamn Sveriges Radio P4 Gotland: ''Vändningen: Julia får heta Andersdotri i efternamn'']</ref>