by William Reaves, edited by Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson
Copyright © William Reaves
This page is currently under construction
Here is a sample of the geneology (Please note that this geneology also includes the epithets of the characters named. It is presented in outline format.):
"When time was young, there were two realms; a world of fire and a world of ice. Between them laid the great chasm, Ginnungagap."
From the fire and the ice sprang:
I. Ymir/ Bolthorn/ Leirbrimir/ Aurgelmir
~ From under his left arm arose:
THE NOBLE GIANTS
A. Mimir/ Narvi/ Brimir/ Motsognir/ Asviðr/ Niði/ Niðad/ Neri/ Nari/ Njörvi/ Gudmund/ Hoddmimir/ Fumbulthulr/ Fumbultyr/ Alberich/ Elberich
~ had offspring with Sinmara/ Kunnig (possibly Mimir's own sister, Bestla)
1. Nat (Night)
~ had offspring with Hoenir/ Annar/ Onnar
a. Frigg/ Jord/ Fjörgyn/ Hlöðyn/ Hlin/ Nerthus/ Frea
b. Fulla-Volla~ had offspring with Loður/ Naglfari
a. Njord/ Aud/ Unnr/ Fridlief/ Svafrlami
~ had offspring with Delling- þjóðreyrir/ Morgin
a. Dag
2. Mimir's Seven Sons, all dwarves created by Mimir-Motsognir and Surt-Durin. They are all master craftsmen and forge treasures for the gods. According to Saxo Grammaticus, these "dwarves" are of giant stature.
--Dvalin-Sindri-Nabbi-Eitri- þrainn
a. unnamed daughters who aid women in childbirth (Fafnismal 13)
--Dainn/ Brokk/ Alfrigg/ Alfrik/ Alpris/ Vigdvalin/ Imbrechi/ Grer
--Berlingr/ Bjarr/ Barri
B. Bestla
Bestla is Mimir's sister, and Oðin's mother. Her identity and fate are unknown. One possibility is that Bestla is Urd. If she is not Urd herself, then they are closely related. The goddess Hel, whose proper name is Urd, is often called the "relation" of Njarvi, Neri, Nari (Mimir). This means that Urd-Hel could be Mimir's sister, his sister's daughter, or his own daughter. This leaves the question open.
1. Urð/ Hel (referred to as "Gjoll's Sunna's gatt" in Hrafnagalðr Oðinns 12)
2. Verdandi
3. Skulð~ had offspring with Bur
1. Hoenir, Ve
2. Loður, Vili
3. Oðin, Viðrir
~ From Ymir's feet together rose:
THE FROST-GIANTS
C. Thrudgelmir, Hrimgrimnir
1. Bergelmir/ Hrimnir/ Vidolf
a. Aurboda, Heid, Gullveig, Angrboda, Orboda, Hyrokkin, Hyndla
~ had offspring with Geitir, Gymir
1. Gerd
~ married Freyr
2. Beli
Loki is likely of this giant clan. His origin is unknown. To the best of my knowledge, the names of his parents do not have synonyms which can be matched to other known lineages.
*Farbauti
~ had offspring with Laufey-Nal
1. Helblindi
2. Byleist
3. Loki/ Hveðrung/ Bekki/ Loptr/ Harbard/ Vafoðr/ Litr/ Haeing/ Sibich/ Sifka~ had offspring with Aurboda (He ate her half-burnt heart, three times; once after each burning)
a. Jormungand/ Ormr/ Moldþinur
b. Fenrir/ Freki/ Fenrisulfr/ Fifl
c. Leikinn (This is the giantess that Snorri calls Hel, Queen of the underworld; She is properly the messenger of plague and disease. She is half-white, and half-livid, as Snorri describes.)~ had offspring with Sigyn
a. two unnamed sons (whom Snorri calls Narvi and Vali)
~ had offspring with Svadilfari
a. Sleipnir
THE FIRE GIANTS
Of unknown origin, but as old as Mimir. It is possible that Surt-Durin (the black, the dark one) is the first being that Mimir-Motsognir crafted from the new clay of Midgard. Like all of Mimir's sons, Surt is a giant, and a smith. He is a master of illusion, and lives in Sökkdalir, Sunken dales in the deep South.
At one time Mimir and Surt worked together to create a race of dwarves. They both possessed the creative power of the central well. Then something happened to divide the~ had offspring with Afterwards, Surt is found in the deep dales to the south, dangerous for the gods to visit, and Mimir is in sole possession of the well. From that point forward, Surt vies for control over this well. He opposes the gods, and during Ragnarok successfully destroys their creation using the Völund Sword.
Many of the names of Surt's son appear on the dwarf-list in Voluspa. The name Suttung may actually be a condensation of Surttar ungr, Surt's son. The people of the Sökkdalir are called Suttung's Sons.
D. Surt-Durin/ Durnir/ Svarthofði/ Sökkmimir
1. Fjalar/ Suttung/ Mjoðvitnir/ Miðvitnir/ Utgard-Loki/ Skrymir
a. Gunlad/ Gunnlöd
~ had offspring with Oðin (impersonating Ivalði/ Svigðir)
1. Bragi
~ had offspring with Iðunn (Ironically, Ivalði's daughter)
a. unnamed son
From the fire and the ice also sprang:
II. Auðhumbla
~ Formed as she licked the rime that had accumulated in Ginnungagap, was:
A. Bor
~ From his breath sprang:
1. Bur/ Valtam
~ had offspring with Bestla
THE VANIR
a. Hoenir/ Onnar/ Annar/ Ve/ Fjörgynr (The first ruler of the Vanir)
~ had offspring with Nat
1. Frigg-Jord
2. Fullab. Loður/ Naglfari/ Mundilfori/ Vili/ Gevar/ Nef/ Hnaef/ Saekonungr/ Hoce/ Nokkvi/ Nokkver/ Eylimi/ Dulsi/ Svafrthorin (he took over the leadership of the Vanir during the Van-As war)
~ had offspring with Nat
1. Njord
~ had offspring with Frigg-Jord
a. Frey/ Altriði/ Froði
b. Freyja/ Menglað/ Syr/ Horn/ Gefn/ Mardoll
~ had offspring with Svipdag/ Oðr
1. Hnoss
2. Gersemi~ had offspring with Gjalp, Griep, Eistla, Anjeyja, Ulfrun, Eyrgjafa, Imd, Atla, and Jarnsaxa (the nine giantesses who turn the world-mill)
1. Heimdall/ Righ/ Scyld/ Sjold/ Scef/ Lysir/ Hrutr/ Rati/ Hama/ Glen
~ had offspring with Sunna
THE HUMAN RACE
(Heimdall)~ had offspring with Edda
a. Thrall
~ had offspring with Amma
a. Karl
~ had offspring with Moðir
a. Jarl/ Borgar/ Domar
~ had offspring with Drott/ Erna/ Borgild
1. Kon/ Hálfdan/ Mannus/ Berggram/ Gram
~ had offspring with Gróa
a. Guðorm/ Ermenrich/ Jörmunrekr
~ had offspring with Sif, Almveig, Alveig
a. Hadding/ Theorich/ Dieterich/ þjóðrekr
With this, I conclude this sample of the geneology. The rest shows the lineages of the elves (Alfar) and the Aesir. In the geneology, the most difficult lineages to trace are those of Surt, Loki, and Tyr. In the case of Tyr, his father is Odin, but his mother is likely a giantess, the wife of Hymir. In regard to these three, the information is simply not conclusive (unless someone can demonstrate that it is).