arver (OSw) arv (ODan) arf (OGu) arfr (ON) arf (OSw) ærf (OSw) noun

In the Swedish laws, this word carried several meanings: land (as a possession); possessions left by a deceased person; inheritance (as a concept); birthright (esp. in land). Inheritance was based on a division of the deceased person’s property and not on primogeniture. In general, male descendants received twice that of their female counterpart, but this was not universal. Illegitimate descendants could inherit, in some instances, but this was subject to certain conditions. Slaves had the right to inherit from each other when brought up in the same household. This type of inheritance was called lesser inheritance (litla erfð, see GuL chs 65 and 114). In GL, the laws of inheritance were extremely complex and interpreting them is not aided by the use of the words lindagyrt (q.v.) and gyrþlugyrt (q.v.), which are open to conflicting translations.

birthright OSw UL Äb
OSw VmL Äb
heritage OSw DL Gb
inheritance ODan ESjL 1, 3
ODan JyL 1, 2
ODan SkBL
ODan SkL 2, 3, 7, 29−34, 36, 38, 59−61
ODan VSjL passim
OGu GL A 20
OIce Grg Þsþ 50 Arþ 118 Ómb 128 Misc 247
OIce Jó MagBref Mah 2, 4 Kge 2, 7 Llb 47
OIce Js Mah 8 Kvg 3 Ert 13
ONorw FrL KrbB 10, 11 ArbA 1
ONorw GuL Krb, Kpb, Kvb, Løb, Arb, Mhb
OSw ÄVgL Äb, Jb, Lek
OSw BjR
OSw DL Gb
OSw HL Kgb, Äb, Mb
OSw KrL Gb Äb Jb Hb
OSw MEL Gb Äb Jb Eb Hb
OSw MESt Kgb Gb Äb Jb Rb Eb Hb
OSw ÖgL Eb, Db, Gb Äb
OSw SdmL Äb, Mb
OSw SmL
OSw UL Kkb, Äb, Mb, Jb, Add. 7
OSw VmL För, Kkb, Äb, Mb, Jb
OSw YVgL Kkb, Äb, Jb, Add
Expressions:

alinn til arfs (ON)

born a lawful heir OIce Grg Vís 95

arf ok orf (OSw)

inheritance OSw HL Äb

bite arv (ODan)

bite inheritance ODan ESjL 1 VSjL 1, 2, 7, 8

dult arf (OSw)

denied inheritance OSw ÖgL Äb

leiða til arfs (ON)

adopt OIce Jó Kge 7-2

Refs:

Hertzberg s.v. arfr; Holmbäck 1919; KLNM s.v.v. adoption, alderdom, arveret, festermål, foster, gangarv, gæld, husbonde, husfru, lejermål, medgift, morgongåva, mundr, odelsrett, oäkta barn, spolierett, straff, syn, testament, ætt, ættleiing; ONP s.v. arfr