Swedes change last names in droves

Despite occasional interference by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), Swedes have set a new record in changing their last names.

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In 2009, the Swedish Patent and Registration Office (Patent– och registreringsverket – PRV) received almost 8,000 name change requests, making it a record-breaking year.

As of the end of 2009, PRV had received around 7,740 name change applications, reported the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

PRV's Jan Ekengren osaid that despite the 1,500 kronor fee (to be raised to 1,800 kronor as of Jan 1st 2010), 2009 was a record year.

The most common practice is to take an old family name or a maiden name. Others want to change the spelling, Ekengren said.

One Swedish couple, Fredrik Nilsson and Sara Olsson of Upplands Väsby north of Stockholm, chose the last name “Krusare” when they got married.

“Since our names are so common, we felt that we wanted to have something that we could both have. We haven't thought so much about what it means, but it's our own,” they told TT news agency.