Nordgren in Swedish is “north branch.” It can mean the north branch of a river, or a branch on the north side of a tree. My great-great-grandfather, Nils Nilsson, and his brothers Anders and Eric chose this name when they arrived in the United States in 1868.
While these Nordgren forebears settled in Illinois, Iowa, and Colorado, I like to think they chose their name to keep the memories of the north country of their home in the Swedish province of Värmland. As generations of Nordgrens have made their way in America, we’ve steadily moved north, to where the north branches of trees and rivers surround our lives.
–Peter
