løvenskiold (mælum kirke)Orf3us. "Løvenskiolds våben på Løvenskioldstolen i Mælum Kirke, Skien, Telemarken." Wikipedia. December 2013. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Here is one of many Scandinavian houses originating from immigrants.

Herman Leopoldus (1677-1739)

He was the son of a Danish merchant also named Herman. They would eventually become wealthy.

Herman Løvenskiold (1739-1759)

Old NameChangeAssimilationCalqueCognomenNew NameEtymology
HermanHerman
LeopoldusSwedizationleo [Lat.]>lion>løven [Swe.]ennoblementLøvenskiold“lion shield”

After paying into the Norwegian king’s private fund, the family became ennobled and received the name meaning “lion shield.”

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