Icelandic Terms
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Icelandic Terms
When researching Icelandic sources such as Íslendingabók or Manntallið these are some of the terms that one is likely to find and their equivalent meanings.
Sex / Kyn
Karl Male
Kona Female
Marital Status / Hjúskapur
giftur married
ogiftur unmarried
ekkja widow
ekkill widower
skillin divorced
Household Position / Stétt/staða
húsbóndi master
hans kona his wife
þeirra barn their child
vinnukona female worker
niðursetningur/niðurseta niðursetningur can mean something like a "ward of the county", basically an individual that cannot support him/herself, and is financially supported by the county - a typical case would be a young orphan, or a child the parents are not able to care for. The "niðursetningur" is placed at one of the farms of the county and the farmer receives a small subsidy to cover the cost - sometimes there was a kind of an auction - the farmer willing to accept the "niðursetningur" for the smallest amount of money would get him/her.
Other Terms
Aldur Age
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