Erling (Norwegian)
Where does "Erling" come from?
The Norwegian name Erling traces its roots back to the Old Norse name Erlingr. This name was constructed by combining a term meaning 'nobleman' with a suffix often used to indicate descendance. Originally, the name served as a way to identify a person as a relative of a jarl.
Full etymology tree
- Erling (Norwegian), 'a male given name'
- inherited Erlingr (Old Norse), 'a male given name'
- derived jarl (Old Norse), 'a highborn, noble man or warrior'
- inherited *ᛖᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ (erilaʀ) (Proto-Norse), 'The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include'
- inherited *erlaz (Proto-Germanic), 'man, nobleman'
- inherited *ᛖᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ (erilaʀ) (Proto-Norse), 'The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include'
- affix -ingr (Old Norse), 'added to a noun stem, effecting i-mutation (if applicable), forming a noun denoting an inhabitant or original of a particular place, a student of a particular school, etc.'
- derived jarl (Old Norse), 'a highborn, noble man or warrior'
- inherited Erlingr (Old Norse), 'a male given name'
Ancestors
- Erlingr (Old Norse)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris