Ibsen is a Norwegian family of

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

extraction. Its most famous members are playwright

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

, his son, statesman

Sigurd Ibsen Sigurd Ibsen (23 December 1859 – 14 April 1930) was a Norwegian author, lawyer and statesman, who served as the prime minister of Norway in Stockholm (1903–1905) and played a central role in the dissolution of the union between Norway and Swe ...

, and grandson, pioneer film director

Tancred Ibsen Tancred Ibsen (11 July 1893 – 4 December 1978) was a Norwegian military officer, aviator, film director and screenwriter. Background Ibsen was the son of Sigurd Ibsen and Bergljot Bjørnson. He was the grandson of both Henrik Ibsen and Nobel la ...

. Several other family members have been noted artists.

History

The name Ibsen is a "frozen" patronymic, meaning "son of Ib." Ib is a Danish variant of

Jacob Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...

. The name became frozen in the 17th century, while this practice was only widely adopted in Denmark in the 19th century and in Norway from around 1900. The phenomenon of patronymics becoming frozen started in the 17th century in bourgeois families in Denmark. The family's earliest known ancestor is Rasmus Ibsen (1632–1703), a merchant in Stege, Denmark. Rasmus Ibsen's son, ship's captain and merchant Peter Ibsen (died 1765), settled in Norway as a burgher of

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

. Peter's son Henrik Ibsen (1726–1765) became a ship's captain in Bergen. After his father died early and his mother Wenche

Dishington Dishington is a surname of Scottish origin. The name first arises in Northumberland where they were seated as lords of the manor in the shire of Dissington, Northumberland. Spelling variations of this family name include: Dishington, Dischingtou ...

remarried, Henrik's son Henrik Johan Ibsen (1765–1797) grew up in the household of parish priest Jacob von der Lippe, his stepfather. After Henrik Johan Ibsen, a ship's captain and merchant in Skien, died at sea outside Hesnes, his widow

Johanne Plesner Plesner is a Norwegian family of Danish extraction, noted for its association with playwright Henrik Ibsen. Many descendants of the family have occupied prominent positions in Norwegian society. History Johan Glüsing Plesner (1703–1735) from ...

remarried to ship's captain Ole Paus, and their son

Knud Ibsen Knud Plesner Ibsen (3 October 1797, in Skien – 24 October 1877, in Skien) was a Norwegian merchant from the city of Skien and the father of the playwright Henrik Ibsen. He is widely considered the model for many central characters in his ...

grew up in the Paus household at

Rising Rising may refer to: * Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique) *Elevation * Short for Uprising, a rebellion Film and TV * Rising (Stargate Atlantis), "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction ...

in Gjerpen. Knud Ibsen had several half siblings, among them judge and Member of Parliament

Christian Cornelius Paus Christian Cornelius Paus (18 October 1800 – 8 April 1879) was a Norwegian lawyer, civil servant and politician. He was Governor of Bratsberg (now Telemark) and a Member of the Norwegian Parliament. Background He was born at Skien in Telemark, ...

and banker and shipowner

Christopher Blom Paus Christopher Blom Paus (8 October 1810 – 28 October 1898) was a Norwegian shipowner, merchant and banker. Biography Paus was born at the estate Rising Nordre in Gjerpen, Norway. Born into the patriciate of the port town of Skien, he was the ...

. Knud Ibsen married the niece of his stepfather,

Marichen Altenburg Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg (24 April 1799 – 3 June 1869) was the mother of the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and is known as the model for several characters in some of Ibsen's most famous plays, including Åse in ''Peer Gynt''.Rober ...

(a daughter of shipowner

Johan Andreas Altenburg Johan Andreas Altenburg (1763–1824) was a Norwegian merchant and shipowner. He belonged to the patriciate of the port town of Skien and was the maternal grandfather of playwright and theatre director Henrik Ibsen. Biography Altenburg was bo ...

and Hedevig Christine

Paus The Paus family () is a Norwegian family that first appeared as members of the elite of 16th-century Oslo and that for centuries belonged to Norway's "aristocracy of officials" as priests of the state church, judges and other higher government of ...

), and became a prominent merchant in Skien. Knud and Marichen Ibsen were the parents of playwright

(married to Suzannah Thoresen), who in turn was the father of Prime Minister

(married to Bergliot Bjørnson, the only daughter of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson) and grandfather of film director

(married to Lillebil Krohn), novelist Irene Ibsen Bille (married to Josias Bille) and Eleonora Ibsen. Tancred's only child was diplomat Tancred Ibsen Jr. The Ibsen family is becoming extinct (in the male line); the last living members (by birth) are Tancred Ibsen Jr.'s two daughters Nora and Hedda Ibsen. There are however a number of descendants of the family through female lines, namely descendants of

Hedvig Ibsen Hedvig Cathrine Ibsen (married name Hedvig Stousland; born 15 November 1831 in Skien - died 15 June 1920 in Skien) was the sister of playwright Henrik Ibsen. She was the sister with whom Ibsen was particularly close during their childhood. She was ...

(married Stousland), Irene Ibsen (married Bille), Nora Ibsen and Hedda Ibsen.

The Ibsen family in theatre

's ancestry has been a much studied subject, due to his perceived foreignness (leading his biographer

Henrik Jæger Henrik Jæger (4 January 1854 – 17 December 1895) was a Norwegian literary historian, literary critic and playwright. He was born in Bergen as a son of sailmaker Herman Jæger (1824–1871) and Birgitte Pedersen. He was a nephew of Tycho ...

to famously state that "the ancestral Ibsen was a Dane") and due to the influence of his biography and family on his plays. Ibsen often made references to his family in his plays, sometimes by name, or by modelling characters after them. Hence, both of Eric's parents,

and Marichen Ibsen, served as the models for various characters, a fact admitted by Henrik Ibsen. "Jon Gynt" in ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

'', "Old Ekdahl" in ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often t ...

'' and Daniel Hejre in ''

The League of Youth ''The League of Youth'' ( no, De unges Forbund) is a play by Henrik Ibsen finished in early May 1869.Watts, Peter (1965). ''A Doll's House and Other Plays'', Penguin Classics. See "Introduction". It was Ibsen's first play in colloquial prose and ...

'' are widely considered to be based on Knud Ibsen. Marichen Ibsen is considered the model for "Åse" in ''

'' and "

Inga of Varteig Inga Olafsdatter of Varteig (''Inga Olafsdatter fra Varteig'') (Varteig, Østfold, 1183 or 1185 – 1234 or 1235) was the mistress of King Haakon III of Norway and the mother of King Haakon IV of Norway. Biography Inga, from Varteig in Østf ...

" in ''

The Pretenders Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...

'', and she would "echo through her son's work in unremitting portrayals of suffering women."Joan Templeton, ''Ibsen's women'',

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...

, 1997, p. 1ff. More broadly, Ibsen used his own biography, relatives and ancestors as a background for his plays and characters. The Gynt family's prosperous ancestor, Rasmus Gynt, is probably named for Rasmus Ibsen, the oldest known Ibsen, and modelled after Ibsen's wealthy maternal grandfather,

. Ibsen's great-aunt

Kristine Cathrine Ploug Kristine Cathrine Ploug (née Altenburg) (1760–1837), known as Aunt Ploug (''Faster Ploug'' in Norwegian), was a relative of playwright Henrik Ibsen, cited as the influence of some of the characters in his plays, such as The Rat-Wife in ''Little E ...

(née Altenburg), who lived with the Ibsen family, served as the model for characters such as "The Rat-Wife" in '' Little Eyolf''. The character "Hedvig" in ''

'' is named for Ibsen's sister

and/or his grandmother Hedevig Paus. Ibsen's plays often take place in

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...

circles in small towns reminiscent of Skien, resembling the social environment of his childhood.

Members

*Rasmus Ibsen (1632–1703), a ship's captain from Stege, Denmark. **Peder Rasmussen Ibsen (died 1765), ship's captain and merchant, settled in

where he became a burgher. ***Henrik Ibsen (1726–1765), merchant in Skien, who married Wenche Dishington (1738–1780). After Ibsen's death, Wenche married parish priest Jacob von der Lippe (1732–1804) ****Henrich Ibsen (1765–1797), ship's captain and merchant in Skien, who married

(1770–1847). Henrich Ibsen died at sea in 1797, and Johanne married shipowner

Ole Paus Ole Paus (born 9 February 1947; full name ''Ole Christian Paus'') is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, poet and author, who is widely regarded as the foremost troubadour of the contemporary Norwegian ballad tradition ( no, visebølgen). During th ...

(1776–1855). *****

(1797–1877), merchant in Skien until his bankruptcy in 1835, who married

(1799–1869). ******Johan Altenburg Ibsen (1826–1828) ******

(1828–1906), playwright, who married Suzannah Thoresen (1836–1914) *******

(1859–1930), Prime Minister of Norway, who married Bergliot Bjørnson (1869–1953) ********

(1893–1978), film director, who married Lillebil Krohn (1899–1989) ********* Tancred Ibsen Jr. (born 1921), Ambassador, married Ellinor (b. 1922) ********** Nora Bergliot Ibsen (born 1951), theatre director, has issue **********Hedda Sophie Yvonne Ibsen (born 1956), has issue ******** Irene Ibsen (1901–1985), author, who married Josias Bille, had issue (including sons Anders Bille (1940-2011) (grandsons: Steen Oluf Bille and Bernt Ivar Bille) and Joen Bille (b. 1944) (granddaughter Beate Bille and grandson Johan Peder Bille) ********Eleonora Ibsen (1906–1978) ******Johan Andreas Ibsen (born 1830), emigrated to the US in 1849. According to a letter he sent home in 1860, he settled in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Whereabouts since unknown, no known issue. ******

(1831–1920), married ship's captain Jacob Stousland, had issue (including son

Carl Stousland Carl Stousland (25 October 1860 – 23 August 1941) was a Norwegian merchant, banker and politician. Biography Stousland was born at Skien in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. He was the son of ship captain Hans Jacob Stousland (1828–1913). ...

) ******Nicolai Alexander Ibsen (1834–1888), unmarried, physically disabled after his nanny dropped him to the floor, emigrated to the US in the late 1860s, lived in

Estherville, Iowa Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,904 in the 2020 census, a decline from 6,656 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County. History Emmet County was initially created by an act of th ...

. ******Ole Paus Ibsen (1835–1917), married Anne Marthe Boyesen and Jenny Myhre, no issue.

Illegitimate descendants of Henrik Ibsen

As legally established, Henrik Ibsen also had an illegitimate son by the maid Else Sophie Birkedalen (1818–1892), named Hans Jacob Henriksen (Birkedalen) (1846–1916) (Henriksen is an active patronymic, meaning "son of Henrik bsen, as opposed to the "frozen" patronymic Ibsen). Hans Jacob Henriksen was a blacksmith and married three times, to Mathilde Andreasdatter (1851–1881), Trine Marie Gunvaldsen (died 1882) and Ida Gurine Olsdatter (died 1938). He was the father of eight children, including *Jens Hansen Birkedalen (1876–1895), who was a ship's cook at the

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...

"Josef af Lillesand", and who died at a hospital in Løgstør, Denmark *Ole Hansen Birkedalen (1884–1884), died as an infant *Isak Hansen Birkedalen (1885–1888), died as an infant *Inga Hansine Hansdatter Birkedalen (1888–1904) *Gunda Elise Hansdatter Birkedalen (1892–1896) *Jenny Hansdatter Birkedalen (1895–1922) Henrik Ibsen had no contact with his illegitimate son or grandchildren, who lived in relatively humble conditions. Most of the grandchildren died as children, and neither of them had descendants. Even if they were male line descendants of the Ibsen family, they were not entitled to use the family name Ibsen under the law of the time, were hence legally not considered members of the Ibsen family, and had no inheritance rights. Henrik Ibsen was however obliged to pay for the upbringing of his son until he was 14 years old. After receiving a letter from

Grimstad Grimstad () is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Some of the villages in Grimstad include Eide, Espenes, Fevik, ...

's judge Johan Caspar Preus on the

paternity Paternity may refer to: *Father, the male parent of a (human) child *Paternity (law), fatherhood as a matter of law * ''Paternity'' (film), a 1981 comedy film starring Burt Reynolds * "Paternity" (''House''), a 2004 episode of the television seri ...

of the child, Henrik Ibsen acknowledged the paternity in a reply letter of 7 December 1846, as "I unfortunately have had sexual intercourse with her."

Footnotes

Literature

*Johan Kielland Bergwitz, ''Henrik Ibsen i sin avstamning: norsk eller fremmed?'',

Gyldendal Norsk Forlag Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS, commonly referred to as Gyldendal N.F. and in Norway often only as Gyldendal, is one of the largest Norwegian publishing houses. It was founded in 1925 after buying rights to publications from the Danish publishing ho ...

, 1916 *

, ''Henrik Ibsen, 1828-1888: A Critical Biography'', A.C.McClurg, 1890 (1888) *Høgvoll, Arvid; Bærland, Ruth (1996). ''Henrik Ibsen: herregårder, kammerherrer, godseiere og proprietærer : brokker av en slektshistorie'', Nome Antikvariat {{Authority control Ibsen family Norwegian people of Danish descent Skien