The Swedish Nobility

Scroll down to learn more about the Swedish nobility. In the table below you can explore noble families living in Sweden today.

History of the Swedish Nobility

The Swedish nobility (Adeln) dates back to 1280 and king Magnus Ladulås. It was agreed that influential people who could afford to contribute to the cavalry with a soldier and horse were to be exempted from tax.

Due to its countless wars, the Swedish crown needed a means to reward officers, and since cash was not plentiful, ennoblement and grants of land were used instead. During the 17th century, the number of the noble families grew by a factor of five. In less than a century, the nobility’s share of Swedish land rose from 16% to over 60%, which led to considerably lower tax incomes. The “reductions” of 1655 and 1680 brought back land and power to the crown.

The nobility was historically a privileged class in Sweden. Noble families and their descendants are still a part of Swedish society today, but do no longer retain any specific or granted privileges. The Swedish nobility is organized into three classes according to a scheme introduced in 1561. Swedish dukes (hertig) have always been royals and counted as such.

  • Count (greve)

  • Baron (friherre)

  • Untitled nobility (obetitlad adel).

According to the Swedish House of Nobility, there are 46 count, 131 baron and 484 untitled noble families still living today (out of approximately 2500).

Source: CILANE, Riddarhuset

The House of Nobility

Following the elevation into nobility by the Swedish monarch, you could also “apply” to be introduced to the House of Nobility (Riddarhuset), which formerly was a chamber in the Riksdag of the Estates, the Swedish Parliament. After 1866 the House of Nobility served as an official representation of the nobility regulated by the Swedish government. Most of the noble families are introduced and their members are listed in a calendar published every three years.

In contrast to the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries, no hereditary titles or honours have been granted since 1902, when explorer Sven Hedin was ennobled. Following a change of the Swedish Constitution in 1975 the king could no longer extend noble privileges and all mentions of Swedish nobility were removed.

The noble estate was never abolished in Sweden, but its privileged position has been weakened step by step since 1680. The nobility’s political privileges were practically abolished by the reformation of the Riksdag of the Estates in 1866, and the last rights of precedence to certain governmental offices were removed in the 1920s. By then also the last taxation privileges had been abolished. Some minor privileges remained up until 2003, when the law concerning the privileges of the nobility was completely abolished.

The privileges of the nobility today are limited to protection of noble titles and certain elements and styles used in coats of arms. Legal protection regarding names in Sweden does not make specific distinctions on the grounds of nobility.

Source: CILANE, Riddarhuset