Where does “efternavn” come from?

efternavn (Danish) comes from Danish navn, from Old Danish nauæn, from Old Norse nafn, from Proto-Germanic namô, from Proto-Indo-European h₁nómn̥, from Proto-Indo-European h₃neh₃- — to name.

efternavn (Danish): surname, last name, family name

Definitions

  1. surname, last name, family name

Ancestry of “efternavn”, step by step

efternavn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish navn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishnavnname; reputation
2Old Danishnauænname
3Old Norsenafnname, title
4Proto-Germanicnamôname
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁nómn̥name
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃neh₃-to name

via Danish efter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishefterafter; subsequent; later in time than; later,...
2Old Norseeptirafter; afterwards; along
3Proto-Norseᚨᚠᛏᛖᚱafter
4Proto-Germanicafterafter, behind
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂epoterosfurther behind, further away
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃neh₃-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁nómn̥Every word from Proto-Germanic namô