Digging into your family history?

Your surname contains a wealth of information about your family line and an important starting point on your ancestral journey.

A new study headed by Alexandra Sanmark of the Centre of Nordic Studies and the History Channel reveals a list of 22 surnames names that are highly likely to contain Viking blood. And some might surprise you!

There are the obvious ones like any name ending in -sen or -son (this was an early naming convention meaning ‘son of’. But also on the list are many Scottish names such as ‘McIvor’, and ‘McAvoy’. Check it out:

1. Names ending in ‘sen’ or ‘son’
2. Roger(s)
3. Rogerson
4. Rendall
5. Love
6. Short
7. Tall
8. Wise
9. Long
10. Good (e.g. Goodman)
11. McLeod
12. McIvor
13. McAvoy
14. McAulay
15. Doyle
16. McDowell
17. MacAuliffe
18. Flett
19. Scarth
20. Linklater
21. Heddle
22. Halcro

To learn more about how these names made the top 22 and to learn some Viking history give this article over on Country Living a read.

Is your last name on the list? Are you surprised? Comment below!