Gautland
/ˈɡɔːt.lænd/noun
Gautland is the medieval Scandinavian name for the region of southern Sweden inhabited by the Geats.
Did you know?Gautland is closely associated with the Geats of *Beowulf*, while Old Norse *Gautr* was also an epithet of Odin—though scholars debate whether the ethnonym and divine name share the same origin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*Gautaz
“A reconstructed ethnic name, probably connected by some scholars with a verb meaning “to pour” or “to flow”; its precise origin remains debated.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Gautae / Gauti
“Latin forms used for the Geats or related Scandinavian peoples in historical and geographical writing.”
Old English
Old English
Gēatas
“The Geats, the people identified in *Beowulf* as the nation ruled by Beowulf.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
Gautland
“The land or territory of the Gautar, corresponding broadly to southern Sweden.”
13th Century
Old Norse
Gautland / Gautaland
“A recognized Scandinavian regional name in medieval sagas and historical writing.”
Modern English
English
Gautland
“A historical name for Götaland, especially in translations and discussions of Scandinavian history and *Beowulf*.”