Arctander (family)
Arctander is the name of two Norwegian families: one from Trondheim and a Nordland family. History. The family Arctander in Trondheim descends from Niels Lauritzen the elder (b. ca. 1490), Mayor of Trondheim. His grandchildren, among them Niels Lauritzen the younger, who was a bishop in Viborg, Denmark, adopted the name Arctander. The Nordland family Arctander begins with Peder Pedersen (b. ca. 1626), a farmer in Lødingen, Nordland. His grandson, Aron Pedersen, adopted the name Arctander when attending the University in Copenhagen, whereafter he returned to Norway and became a priest in Ofoten. Many prominent people belong to  this family, among them cabinet minister Sofus Arctander, cand.oecon. Signy Arctander, and Evan Arctander, a Board Certified safety professional and Safety engineer. Name. The name is in Latinised Greek and means "Norwegian". The first part means "arctic", and the second part derives from the word "andros" (man), i.e. "north man".