When a child was born in Norway he/she would receive a given name such as Sjur or Ingeborg. The surname would be the father's name with -son or -datter added to it. If the father's name was Lars the son's surname would be Larsson and a daughter's surname would be Larsdatter. A third name would be added at the end. This would be the name of the farm where the person was born at or is presently working. Once in America though many of the Norwegians would begin to Americanize their names. I have three g-grandfathers that immigrated from Norway. Erick Gunhus had fourteen children by two wifes. In the first marriage four of the five children had as a middle name Erickson or Ericksdatter. In the second marriage the first six children also had the middle name of Erickson or Ericksdatter. The last three children, which included my grandmother, did not. Nub Fredrickson was also from Norway. He had 15 children. I have been able to find that the middle name of two of the boys was Nub (the picture) and three other boys had the middle initial of N which I am assuming stood for Nub. So it appears he continued with the Norwegian custom but did away with the -son and -datter part of the name. A third g-grandfather, Sjur Markusson, from Norway appears not to have continued the custum. His first son, Ole, had the middle name of Johan. His last son who was my grandfather though did have as a middle name Sever which is the American name for Sjur.