Stemming from a tradition distinct in orientation from the Scottish clans whom were sovereigns of named territories, the Scandinavian clan’s obligation to honour persisted in family name and acceptance into the group. Derivation of Viking surnames typically conclude with a –ung or -ing at the end.

Due to the fact that Scandinavian societies tended to retain impeccable legal records such as census, immigration, military and family records such as birth, death and marriage certificates, government repositories are good resources for finding out more about your Nordic heritage. The internet is a good place to start the search.

Databanks like Ancestry.com may assist in the genealogical search. Capabilities include government verification and advanced patented digitization processes that provide high-resolution digital scans of existing records. Professional staff transcribe the recorded information from the original language to English, and publish it for user access in a format that is searchable easy to copy for personal record.

Who knows? You may turn up the ancestor of a legendary Viking warrior or king.

Some families enjoy lefsa, Sweadish meatballs or Codfish balls on a regular basis while others eat them for holidays. Most people feel it is important to hand down these traditions to future generations and remind them they have strong roots. A favorite tradition that is easy to try at Christmas is singing around the Christmas tree. The Danish families usually have real candles on their trees which isn’t always possible for most people, but holding hands and singing traditional Christmas Carols is. Heritage is important and it should be passed down to future generations because it gives a since of belonging and self worth. Take some time and look into your heritage and you will be happy with the results and hopefully a little surprised at what you find.

At parties, Norwegians always make toasts with alcoholic beverages, but not with beer. After making the toast, woman are required to put down their glasses. Norwegians have a custom of eating everything with utensils and that includes sandwiches. When a person finishes eating, he or she is required to put the fork down across his or her plate. Other Norwegian customs include being negotiable, maintaining eye contact while speaking and not interrupting others while they are speaking. Respect is also highly valued in this culture and women are treated better in this country than they are in many other countries.

Not all of the foods are easy to make and some are not that much fun to eat. Norwegian food starts with fish. As far back as the legendary Viking warriors, fish was an important part of the diet. Explaining this and allowing them to taste things like smoked salmon, gravlaks, and codfish is a great way to teach them how important water was to the Norwegian people.

Moose, reindeer, duck, and other types of fowl are also perfect example of the wild game people relied on. Rich sauces made from juniper berries and lingonberries can complement these dishes. Since it can be difficult to find all of these ingredients in the United States, find some cookbooks and make a conscious effort to make a Norwegian Meal for the entire family. If you have it on a Norwegian holiday you can teach the family even more about their Norwegian heritage.