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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Sven m. Old Icelandic sveinn 'boy, servant', Old English swān 'herdsman, swineherd, peasant'.

The name of an 11th C king of Denmark, England, and Sweden, two 11th C kings of Norway, an 11th C king of Denmark, and a 12th C king of Denmark.

England
Latin
c1145x1159 Swani (gen) EYC-3 1666, Swano (dat) ibid. 1666; 1189 Suanus (nom) GASurv p. 173, Suein (nom) ibid. p. 159, Sueinus (nom) ibid. p. 161; 1279–80 Swayn (gen) WaHR-SK p. 56
Ireland
Latin
fin12thC Swein (nom) MunDocIr III, p. 11
Scotland
Latin
c1100 Swein (abl) ESC XX
Sweden
Latin
1350 Suenoni (dat) SDHK no. 6060, Suens (gen) ibid. no. 6059, Swenoni (dat) ibid. no. 6060; 1383 Sweno (nom) SRA-vol2 no. 1901
Old Swedish
1383 Sweens (gen) SRA-vol2 no. 1940, Swen ibid. no. 1900
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Sven". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2015/3/name/Sven.