Talk:Astrid Hofferson/@comment-4808346-20191108073202/@comment-2044309-20191108171111

Most likely yes, but it isn’t absolute.

Here is why.

Surnames in the HTTYD “Viking” culture aren’t very clear. Real Viking culture didn’t use surnames as we think of them. They used patronymics. So, Hiccup’s name would have been Hiccup Stoickson. Meaning literally “son of Stoick”.

We don’t know Astrid’s father’s name, but let’s assume that it was Erick. Then Astrid’s name would have been Astrid Erickdotter, meaning daughter of Erick. These patronyms were not really what we think of as surnames or family names, and most definitely would not have changed on marriage. Astrid is still the daughter of Erick after she marries.

Now, that all being said, it is beyond obvious that the Berk Vikings do not follow this custom. The only absolute example that we have of a known parent and child’s names (Stoick and Hiccup) does not follow this custom the two females that we know do not have second names that follow the -dotter convention.

We do know though that whatever the second name is in Berk it is passed from generation to generation in a patrilineal manner since Hiccup is the third Hiccup Horrendous Haddock in the Haddock line.

This does not however, mean much of anything regarding the second name of a female after marriage. While there is little evidence to support the fact that HTTYD (the Dreamwork’s version), is set in past on Earth (actually what evidence there is contradicts this), if we start from a basis of “they were real Norse in the past, but slightly changed) then there were more cultures in Europe at the time where the woman didn’t “take” her husband’s name after marriage then there were cultures that did.

However, the stuff that we see changed from real Viking culture is very much based on the English customs. Which, is one of the neighbors where the women did change their surname after marriage. Which means, that given the English influence Astrid would have changed her surname to Haddock after marriage.

There is also another explanation that is somewhat rooted in historical context, and could be at work in the Berk culture. Haddock and Hofferson and the other second names known in the movie might not be surnames at all, but clan names. Therefore, Astrid Hofferson would mean Astrid of Clan Hofferson. And Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III would actually mean the third Hiccup Horrendous of Clan Haddock. If this is at work, then Astrid of Clan Hofferson would absolutely become Astrid of Clan Haddock after her marriage to Hiccup, which in the Berkian shorthand would become Astrid Haddock.

The truth is that HHTYD is a mish-mash of historical and modern customs, and old Norse and English customs. The characters are meant to be historically Norse Vikings, but the author and target audience are English speakers. Therefore, when the Berkians tend to stray from historical Norse they stray into English customs.

Which means, that it is extremely, highly likely that Astrid Hofferson becomes Astrid Haddock after marrying Hiccup, but there really isn’t enough solid evidence in the movies or TV shows to say that it would with absolute certainty.