Perers Johansen - correct name ?

[Cathy Hoff]

Is anyone familiar with this name?  I was given a copy of my family tree and it states that my great-grandfathers name was Perers Erik Johansen. Also, was 'sen' common for Sweden? Could it be Johansson or Johanson?

[Torbjörn Norman]

Hi Cathy
Perers Erik Johansson is correct for the prowince Dalarna in Sweden. Perers is a homestead name who often follow the farm.
Torbjörn i Björklinge

[Cathy Hoff]

Torbjörn,
 
Dalarna is exactly where they were from!! Can you explain what you mean by homestead name ? Is it passed on as a sort of title like a surname would be passed on to children. Is it used everywhere in Sweden, or is it confined to certain areas.  
Thanks again for your time.
 
Cathy

[Håkan Bergström]

'Perers' or mabe more correctly 'Per-Ers' means that the name of the founder (probably) of the homesetad or farm was Per Ersson (alt. Per Eriksson). Placing this kind of homestead name before the first namne and the patronymics is unique for Dalarna.

[Jojje Lintrup]

Farmnames (gårdsnamn) has its origin in the central parts of the Province of Dalarna, depending on traditions, lack of fantasy and the use of patronymics. Names as Mats, Erik, Olof, Anders, Lars, Johan, Jonas, Per, Nils and Hans where so common, so each and every man was Mats Andersson, Olof Persson or Erik Johansson.
So, what could they do to separate one from each other?
As the farmer society had a very strong tradition of wearing patronymics (as a contrast to craftsmen and bourgeoisie), they turned to a new tradition, to name the farms they were living in. That happened earliest around the Lake Siljan in Dalarna, before any church records where written, but spread around to the neighbors as time passed.  
Farmnames are often composed of first and second name of the first owner (or many times his father). The christian name of Per and the patronymic Ericsson forms the farmname Perers. They could also be composed by the profession of the first owner, or by nicknames.
Farmnames belonged to the farm, so if a daughter inherited the farm, the son-in-law often had to change his farmname to the one of his wife. In some cases, however, the son-in-law changed the name of the farm instead, but on the other hand, that also happens with family names now and then.
As far as I know, farmnames are also used in the provinces of Hälsingland, Gästrikland and Västmanland.

[Jojje Lintrup]

Farmnames (gårdsnamn) has its origin in the central parts of the Province of Dalarna, depending on traditions, lack of fantasy and the use of patronymics. Names as Mats, Erik, Olof, Anders, Lars, Johan, Jonas, Per, Nils and Hans where so common, so each and every man was Mats Andersson, Olof Persson or Erik Johansson.
So, what could they do to separate one from each other?
As the farmer society had a very strong tradition of wearing patronymics (as a contrast to craftsmen and bourgeoisie), they turned to a new tradition, to name the farms they were living in. That happened earliest around the Lake Siljan in Dalarna, before any church records where written, but spread around to the neighbors as time passed.  
Farmnames are often composed of first and second name of the first owner (or many times his father). The christian name of Per and the patronymic Ericsson forms the farmname Perers. They could also be composed by the profession of the first owner, or by nicknames.
Farmnames belonged to the farm, so if a daughter inherited the farm, the son-in-law often had to change his farmname to the one of his wife. In some cases, however, the son-in-law changed the name of the farm instead, but on the other hand, that also happens with family names now and then.
As far as I know, farmnames are also used in the provinces of Hälsingland, Gästrikland and Västmanland.

[Cathy Hoff]

Håkan and Jojje,
 
Thank you so much for repsonding. Now I know I am looking for Erik in the states and not Perers.  
I have learned so much about Sweden since I started this.
 
Thanks again,
Cathy

[Tomas Nordqvist.]

Farmnames where used in Jamtland too .