Census poll: What is your cultural / historical connection to the kilt?

**Dram** · 30th January 12, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Johnny Selkie

Being a true Norwegian viking I have no direct Scottish links that I know of, but my paternal lines comes from the lands of Ragnvald Earl of Moeri, known today as the county of Moere og Romsdalen in Western Norway. My surname is at least 400 years (first recorded in a early 17th century tax report) and is connected to a certain place in Moere, Western Norway thats on UNESCOs world heritage list and is also the name of an old parish on Mainland, Orkney.

I can trace my familly history back to a Ragnvald Jarl (Ragnvald Jarl=Rognvald Earl) mentioned in a well known (but somewhat dubious) Norwegian document from the 17th century which is supposed to be written in the 14th century. I'm also a descendant of a nobleman in the 15th century from the island of Vigra (also in Moere and Romsdalen) situated about 257 miles from the coast of the island of Unst, Shetland through another document.

As Shetland and Orkney belonged to Norway until ca 1468 and the fact that Isabella Heiress of Caithness (a descendant or the Norse earls of Orkney) married into the Sinclair familly I feel connected enough to wear tartan (the Sinclair hunting sett and Caithness District) without having any Scottish ancestry.

You have a fascinating ancestry. I too have some Norwegian and some Swedish ancestry. I cannot be certain that any of my Scandinavian ancestors were Vikings, however my Norwegian ancestors came to the U.S. from Arendal, Norway and I think they may have had a farm there originally. My understanding is that the area of modern day Arendal was a "Viking" area...so perhaps. Still a very interesting lineage in my opinion.

Our family surnames were probably more recent unlike your surname. Perhaps you could tell me what the surname Guldbrandsen means?

**opositive** · 30th January 12, 03:32 PM

despite my german surname, if whiskey is thicker than blood, i have become half irish and half scot.

**Johnny Selkie** · 30th January 12, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Dram

You have a fascinating ancestry. I too have some Norwegian and some Swedish ancestry. I cannot be certain that any of my Scandinavian ancestors were Vikings, however my Norwegian ancestors came to the U.S. from Arendal, Norway and I think they may have had a farm there originally. My understanding is that the area of modern day Arendal was a "Viking" area...so perhaps. Still a very interesting lineage in my opinion.

Our family surnames were probably more recent unlike your surname. Perhaps you could tell me what the surname Guldbrandsen means?

Both my grandfather and great grandfather found a wife each from the counties of Agder and thus I have lots of relatives from both West Agder and East Agder as well as Moere and Romsdalen. The surname Guldbrandsen means son of Guldbrand.

**Dram** · 30th January 12, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Johnny Selkie

Both my grandfather and great grandfather found a wife each from the counties of Agder and thus I have lots of relatives from both West Agder and East Agder as well as Moere and Romsdalen. The surname Guldbrandsen means son of Guldbrand.

Thanks Johnny! Cool about the counties. Would love to go to Scandinavia someday but hear it is quite expensive. Perhaps when I have an opprtunity to visit the British Isles. One of my other family names was Bentsen, and I think it is they who had a farm there. Does the name Guldbrand have a translation? It seems like it is an older name?

**Ryan Ross** · 30th January 12, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Johnny Selkie

Being a true Norwegian viking I have no direct Scottish links that I know of...

You're an ACTUAL Norse sea raider? Woa...

**hkjrb623** · 30th January 12, 06:28 PM

messed up post

**Dram** · 30th January 12, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by hkjrb623

messed up post

?

**hkjrb623** · 30th January 12, 07:24 PM

For some reason my text would not post. I didn't feel like retyping it. Maybe I was a little to extensive.

**Slowburn** · 30th January 12, 07:50 PM

I can trace my family back to a Scott pow from 1650 battle of Dunbar who was then force migrated to Massachusetts and it his name I carry. Most recent genetic contributions come from English, Irish, French-Canadian, and Danish immigrants. As I carry an American mutation of a fine Scottish name that is where I stand on that.

**John McQuillen** · 31st January 12, 07:25 AM

Cousins, aunt and uncle live in Scotland, grandfather actually born in England though. Heritage from Great Grandparents back goes to about the 1300s (although the links I have personally confirmed to date are only about early 1700s on ancestry.com) and they're all scottish or irish.... and heritage probably goes all the way back to Conn of the Hundred battles etc etc - but try actually establishing that heritage!

Everyone in the family is a Mc or Mac something. Mostly Clan Donald or Clan MacPherson of various septs with a few Camerons and MacLeods by marriage....

I grew up with Macdonald and MacPherson clan tartans and wore the Black Watch as a drummer in a school pipe band for 7 years..... then went back to clan tartan.