Researching Swedish Ancestors - Name Changes After Arrival in US

Question

Hello,

My Great Grandmother was born in Sweden, I knew her as Agnes Elizabeth Fitzpatrick and her maiden name was Benson.

Through a DNA connection a cousin of mine from Sweden sent me her birth name and the names of her siblings and parents. I'm not sure how to proceed in tracing most of her siblings. Her and her siblings basically have multiple middle names each.

I've only added my gigi to the plublic tree (and her parents) because I'm not sure how I should add the rest to the tree with birth names or wait until I find their names they used in the US so I can then add both names?

I have their departure from Sweden as 1887 but their arrival falls apart as I'm not seeing them with their birth names, and taking a guess at their "americanized" names is proving to difficult to search for as well.

Here's her and her siblings birth names, any guesses at US names are welcome.

• Siri Elvira Bengtsson = Agnes Elizabeth Fitzpatrick (Benson) this is my Gigi
• Ida Augusta Bengtsson = Ida or even Augusta?
• Johan Axel Rudolph Bengtsson = John, Axel, Rudolph? Which one...
• Syster Gurli Bengtsson = Is that "Sister" and Gurli? I think I might have found her...she became a Nun in Missouri
• Hella Anna Maria Bengtsson = Ann, Anna, Maria, Mary, Hellen...
• Sture Assar Birger Bengtsson = Steve maybe? Tough one... (edit) My apologies, he died in 1873 not quite 2 years old
• Ingeborg Magnhild Carolina Bengtsson = Carole, Caroline?
• Sewed Assar August Bengtsson = Lol, ok...
• Sigfrid Emil Ernst Bengtsson= Ernest?

Feeling a bit overwhelmed even though I've been able to get some good sources for births, parental marriage, and departure from the fantastic Swedish sites. My cousin was not sure what became of most of them, he was looking to me to fill in the rest of their history once they hit the US. 

He probably should have picked a smarter US relative :shrug:

Comments

I sent you a private message.

I added her death certificate to her profile.

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Thanks for adding the death certificate to her profile. And yes, her father, Sven August Bengtsson, did move back to Sweden where he died in 1904. I confirmed this with my Cousin and also found out that my great-grandma's Mom, Johanna Tholin stayed back here in the states when her husband returned to Sweden.

Answer 1

I have added birth record, marriage record and death record to the profile of Sven August Bengtsson.

He was born out of wedlock to Anna Brita Andersdotter, so the last name Bengtsson presumably means his "unknown" father was named Bengt. This is how the patronymic system worked; it was still in use in Sweden at that time.

As for multiple given names they are not really considered as middle names in Sweden, same as in many other European countries. We put them all in the first name field and tick the "no middle name" button. With people who emigrate this can, of course be awkward.

Syster means sister, as you say, and as you see it was sometimes used as a given name. Bror, which means brother is a lot more common.

Good luck finding them in America!