Stednavne fanget i ideologisk konflikt : – et eksempel fra Normandiet

This article examines Scandinavian-origin place names in Normandy, France, and their ideological context. The argues that recent French scholarship has downplayed Scandinavian influence in the region, partly to counter far-right
nationalist use of Viking heritage. To challenge this minimization, the article presents research on Scandinavian place names in Normandy, based on the Dictionnaire Topographique de la France, estimating 1,300–1,500 such names,
or roughly 2% of all names in the area. Among names first recorded before 1600, Scandinavian names represent about 4%, suggesting significant Norse influence between 900 and 1020 AD.

The study disputes claims that there were only a few hundred Scandinavian settlers, suggesting instead a large Scandinavian-speaking community that left a noticeable linguistic legacy. These place names are spread across Normandy, though they are scarce in southern Orne. Common Norse elements include -toft (homestead), -bæk (stream), -lund (grove), -holm (islet), and -bod (booth or dwelling). The article also emphasizes that Scandinavian-origin place names
are generally recorded earlier than average in Normandy, countering arguments that they are late additions. This pattern implies that many new place names in Normandy during the 10th and early 11th centuries were Scandinavian. While the Scandinavian influence was intense during its brief period, the study shows that this impact was more extensive than recent scholarship suggests.

Further exploration of these place names offers valuable insights into cultural exchange between Scandinavians and the local population during this formative period. Given the limited archeological evidence and scarce historical sources on daily life in early medieval Normandy, place names provide key evidence of Scandinavian settlement patterns and social integration. Detailed studies of individual place names, using modern onomastic methods, are still needed to fully grasp the Scandinavian influence on Normandy’s linguistic and cultural landscape.