Hyggen

Hyggen is a village in Røyken municipality, Norway. It is located along the Drammensfjord. Its population is 408 [cite paper | author=Statistics Norway | title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality. 1 January 2005 | date=2005 | url=http://www.ssb.no/en/beftett/tab-2005-06-03-01-en.html] .

According to the book ”Røyken Bygd – før og nu” (Røyken County - Before and now) published in 1928, Professor Rygh assumes it was named after a small stream of water called Heggja or rather Hegg.

Since there are no trace of the water stream it is more reasonable to assume that the name Hyggen is a combination of the word “vin” (wine) and a type of tree named Hegg or Heggr. The combination gave the original name of “Heggvin”, the lowland with Hegg threes.

The name has changed several times; in 1400 it was named Heggenni, Heggiunne and Hæggenne, in 1440 Hegginna, in 1512 Hegien gorden, in 1617 Heggind and in 1723 Hyggen.

The oldest written note about Hyggen is from archbishop Øystein’s land-book from 1400 where it says that the church owned various land.

See http://www.hyggen.no for more information (in Norwegian).

References