Hagen

Origine et histoire

Topographic farm name derived from Old Norse 'hagi' meaning 'enclosed meadow' or 'pasture', with the definite suffix '-en', thus 'the enclosed pasture'. Farms named Hagen were situated near a fenced grazing area distinct from the open common lands, reflecting the importance of enclosed livestock management in the medieval Norse agricultural economy. The name is particularly associated with eastern Norway, and Hagen is also a place name in Germany and the Low Countries, where it derives from a cognate Germanic root with the same meaning of an enclosed or hedged enclosure.