notes from The Local article:
https://www.thelocal.se/20190306/the-history-behind-swedens-town-and-city-names
Stockholm Stokker = log, Holm = islet
Göteborg / Gothenburg Gothic Göta älv or Göta River, borg, = castle, stronghold
Malmö Malmöghae Malm = ore, older meaning sand, högar = piles/mounds
Karlstad / Tingvalla Charles King Karl XI stad = city
Umeå Norse 'roaring' rapids, å = stream French eau, water Ume River (Ume älv) Ume stream
Visby Old Norse vi, 'place of sacrifices' or 'holy place' by today 'village' but earlier, larger towns
Uppsala / Östra Aros, Eastern Estuary where river Fyrisån meets Mälaren
Upp Sala differentiated from town of Sala, a ceremonial building
Västerås / Västra Aros (Western Estuary) melded to one word
Kiruna / Luossavaara, from Luossavárri mountain. Deliberately shortened from another area mountain Gironvárri, Sami 'mountain ridge', Kiirunavaara in Finnish;
Jokkmokk / Jåhkåmåhkke / Dálvvadis 'winter settlement' seems 'bend in the stream', but original muorkke, strip of land between two rivers
Linköping Lionga ting assembly, Liunga Kauping was a Swedish Church site in the 1100s
köpa (to buy), prev. 95 "köping" = market or trading towns, many became städer but kept names
Nyköping New market
Norrköping North market
Snopptorp Erik af Snoppenström's torp = Croft (seems penis croft)
Become a member of The Local to better participate!
Studies + Streetsmart Suggestions