Norwegians

Norwegians, called Nordmenn in their own language, are an ethnic group and nation from Norway. They are most of the people living in Norway and share a culture and language called Norwegian.

Long ago, Norwegians came from the Norse people who lived during the Early Middle Ages. They formed the Kingdom of Norway in the 9th century.

During a time called the Viking Age, Norwegians and other Norse groups traveled to many places. They reached and settled in parts of the British Isles, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. Today, Norwegians are closely related to people from nearby countries such as the Danes, Swedes, Icelanders, and the Faroe Islanders.

Norwegian has two main ways of writing it, called Bokmål and Nynorsk. These are part of a group of languages in Scandinavia that many people can understand even if they are from different countries. People with Norwegian roots live all around the world, especially in places like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

For many years, most Norwegians were Lutheran. But today, many people in Norway do not practice religion, or they have different beliefs such as being atheist or agnostic.

History

Main articles: Germanic peoples, History of Norway, and History of Scandinavia

Long ago, people called the Battle-Axe peoples came to Norway. They brought horses, farming, cattle, and wheels. Much later, during a time called the Viking Age, a leader named Harald Fairhair brought many small kingdoms together into one country.

Norway faced hard times, like a sickness that made many people very ill. In the 1800s, Norway became its own country again. Even though Norway tried to stay out of big fights, sometimes other countries would come in. Later, Norway joined a group of countries to help keep peace and found lots of oil, which helped the country's money grow. Today, Norway works to welcome new people and care for everyone as they grow older.

Geographic distribution

Main article: Norwegian diaspora

Viking Age

Main articles: Viking Age, Norsemen, Vikings, Viking expansion, and Norse colonization of North America

Long ago, Norwegian Vikings traveled far and wide. They settled in places like Shetland, Orkney, Ireland, Scotland, and northern England. Many place names in the United Kingdom end with words like -kirk, -ness, -thorpe, -toft, and -by because of the Vikings. In 947, a famous Viking named Erik Bloodaxe took over York in England.

Norwegian Vikings also settled in empty areas. The first person to live permanently in Iceland was Ingólfur Arnarson, who arrived in Reykjavík in 874. Later, Erik the Red found Greenland and named it that to attract settlers. His relative, Leif Eriksson, was one of the first to reach North America.

Netherlands

During the 1600s and 1700s, many Norwegians moved to the Netherlands, especially to Amsterdam. This was the second most popular place for Norwegians to move to, after Denmark. Many Norwegians worked on Dutch ships that traded with Norway for things like timber, hides, herring, and stockfish (dried codfish). Over time, many of these Norwegians took Dutch names.

North America

United States

Main article: Norwegian American

Many Norwegians moved to the United States between the 1850s and the 1920s. These people and their families are known as Norwegian Americans. Some traveled through Canada to get to cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and Green Bay in the United States. Most live in the Upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest parts of the country.

Canada

Main article: Norwegian Canadian

Norwegians began moving to Canada as early as 1814. Some helped build roads, and others settled on farms. From the mid-1880s to 1930, many more Norwegians came to Canada. By 2011, about 452,705 Canadians said they had Norwegian ancestry.

Australia

Main article: Norwegian Australian

By 2011, there were around 3,710 people born in Norway living in Australia, and about 23,037 Australians had Norwegian heritage.

Russia

Further information: Kola Norwegians

In the 1800s, some Norwegians settled near the Russian city of Murmansk. After 1992, many were allowed to return to Norway. Today, very few of them remain in Russia.

Other

See also: Norwegian settlement in Iceland, Scandinavian migration to the United Kingdom, Early Scandinavian Dublin, Norwegian South African, and Scandinavian Brazilian

Genetics

Norwegians share similar genes with people from Northern and Central Europe, especially with Germans. This happened because people moved in and out of Norway over many years.

Like most Europeans, Norwegians come from three main groups of people: ancient hunters, farmers from Anatolia, and people from the Pontic–Caspian steppe.

Norwegians have common genes, such as Haplogroup I1. They also carry genes like R1a and R1b. Norwegian ancestry can be found in places such as Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, the Shetland Islands, and Greenland.

Language

Main articles: Norwegian language and North Germanic languages

Norwegian is a language spoken by many people, mostly in Norway. It is part of a group of languages called North Germanic. You can also find Norwegian speakers in places like Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Britain, Spain, Canada, and the United States. In the U.S., many Norwegian speakers live in states such as Minnesota, California, Washington, New York, and Wisconsin.

In Canada, especially in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, there are also communities of Norwegian speakers.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Norway

Norwegian culture is shaped by the country's history and landscape. Tough farming conditions and old laws helped create a strong sense of pride in the 18th century. This pride still influences the Norwegian language and media today. In the 19th century, Norway grew in areas like writing, painting, and music.

Main article: Cuisine of Norway

Norwegian food comes from a long history of fishing and farming. Popular foods include salmon, herring, trout, and cod, along with cheeses, dairy, and dark bread. Traditional dishes like lefse, a potato flatbread, are often eaten at Christmas. Other famous foods include lutefisk, smalahove, pinnekjøtt, Krotekake, and fårikål.

Main article: Music of Norway

Norway has a rich musical tradition. Famous composers like Edvard Grieg are known worldwide. Today, Norway is also known for its jazz and modern music. Classical musicians like Leif Ove Andsnes and Truls Mørk are famous around the world. Folk music remains popular, with musicians keeping these traditions alive.

Norwegians celebrate their national day on May 17, honoring their constitution. Many wear traditional costumes and join parades, especially children. Other important holidays include Christmas and Easter. In Norway, Santa, called Nissen, brings presents on Christmas Eve. Another special day is St. John's Day on June 24, when people light bonfires to celebrate the start of summer.

See also: Religion in Norway and Norwegian American § The Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States

Norway became Christian around the year 1000. For many years, it was a Catholic country before becoming Lutheran in the 16th century. Today, most Norwegians are part of the Lutheran Church, though many do not regularly attend services. The church and government are now separate, but the king must still follow the Lutheran faith.

Other terms used

Norwegians, called Nordmenn in their own language, have had many names used by others over time.

Some of these names are:

• Nordmenn: A word from nearby countries meaning "Northmen".
• Northmen: An old name from Europe for people living in northern Europe.
• Norsemen or Norse: People from the Nordic areas during the Viking Age.
• Vikings: A name for people from Nordic countries who traveled during the Viking Age. Sometimes this word is used for all Scandinavians.
• Minnewegian: A friendly name for Norwegians living in Minnesota in the United States.
• Norski: A common name for Norwegians in North America.
• Norrbagge: An old Swedish word for Norwegians that was not very kind. Its meaning is not well known.