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Type Surname
Usage Swedish (Rare)
Meaning & History
A notable surname used by an ancient Swedish noble family from Småland dating back to the 13th century. The name means "the ox's forehead". It is a combination of Swedish oxen, a cognate to the English plural of 'ox', and stierna, which is likely derived from German Stirn "forehead", though it is often mistaken for Swedish stjärna "star". The name was taken from the family's coat of arms depicting an ox's horns and forehead.A famous bearer is Axel Oxenstierna (1583-1654), a famous Swedish statesman and confidant of Gustavus Adolphus.