Names
04. Sep 2024
Joensen's lead holds, but -sen surnames lose ground
Joensen remains the most common surname in the Faroe Islands, according to the latest name data covering all Faroese residents on 1 January.
Next on the list of the most common surnames are Hansen, Jacobsen and Olsen. These names have been the most common surnames since the first name statistics were published in 1985. Although these names remain the most common, they are declining in overall popularity.
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Fewer -sen surnames
Just over 45% of Faroese people have a surname ending with -sen. This percentage is on a steady decline, as seen in the graph below.
Southern surnames stand out
The distribution of common surnames is relatively uniform across the country; however, the southern regions show some distinct patterns. In Sandoy, Hentze, Olsen, Petersen and Winther are more frequent. In Suðuroy, Joensen, Thomsen, Poulsen and Bech are among the most common.
Unique regional surnames
Some surnames are exclusive to one region. For example, ‘á Reynatrøð’ is only found in Eysturoy, Josephsen only occurs in Norðoyggjar and ‘í Stórustovu’ is confined to the capital region (Suðurstreymoy).
Read more on the names theme page or try our name search function.
About names
The above list covers first names of persons residing in the Faroe Islands on 1 January. All names are listed in accordance with the national register. Double first names, e.g. Hans Petur or Anna Maria, are listed as a single name.
As it can take up to six months before a child is officially named, the name list is updated after 1 July.