A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Halfdan Whiteshanks (Old Norse: Hálfdan hvítbeinn) was a mythical petty king in Norway, described in Ynglinga saga. The following description is based on the account in Ynglinga saga, written in the 1220s by Snorri Sturluson. The historicity of the kings described in that saga is generally not accepted by modern historians.
He was the son of Olof Trätälja of the House of Yngling. His father was sacrificed to Odin by the Swedish settlers in Värmland because of a famine. Some Swedes, however, realised that the famine was brought by overpopulation and not by the fact that the king had been neglecting his religious duties.
Consequently, they resolved to cross the Ed Forest and settle in Norway and happened to end up in Soleyar where they killed king Sölve and took Halfdan prisoner. The Swedish expatriates elected Halfdan king as he was the son of their old king, Olof. Halfdan subjugated all of Soleyar and took his army into Romerike and subjugated that province as well.
Halfdan was to become a great king, who married Åsa, the daughter of king Eystein, the ruler of Oppland and Hedmark. They had two sons, Öystein Halfdansson and Gudröd.
Halfdan conquered a large part of Hedemark, Toten, Hadeland and a part of Vestfold. When his brother Ingjald Olofsson died, he inherited Värmland. Halfdan died of old age in Toten and was transported to Vestfold where he was buried under a mound in Skiringssal.
Source: Wikipedia
Note: There exist family trees purporting to show 20 or more generations of the ancestors of Halfdan, extending back as far as the 1st century BC or earlier. However, since the persons listed are considered to be legendary and mythical kings of Sweden, and there is little or no agreement or source documentation for them, they are not included in this genealogy.
As a matter of general interest, one genealogy suggests that the direct ancestors of Halfdan were: Olof "Tree Feller " Ingjaldsson, Ingjald "Ill Ready" Anundsson, Anund "Land Clearer" Ingvarsson, Ingvar Eysteinsson, Eystein Eadgilsson, Eadgil Ottarsson, Ohthere Egilsson, Egil Aunsson, Aun Jorundsson, Jorund Yngvasson, Yngvi Alreksson, Alreek Agnasson, Agne Dagsson, Dag Dyggvasson, Dyggvi Domarsson, Domar Domaldasson, Domalde Visbursson, Visbur Vanlandasson, Vanlandi Svegdasson, Sveigðir Fjolnarsson, Fjolnir Yngvi Freysson, Yngvi Frey King at Uppsala, and Njörðr King at Uppsala.
Other genealogies extend this line even further, including a few Swedish and Norse gods as ancestors of Halfdan.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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