The Christies and Norway

The North East coast of Scotland was also a first landfall for the Norwegian Vikings who conquered and dominated the region from the late 8th Century until the end of the 11th Century, but whether the Pictish/Celtic Christies intermarried with the Vikings even earlier, no one knows. Certainly, there have long been friendly trading and fishing links between the North Sea neighbours of Norway and Scotland. Christie is not a Norwegian name, but it is found today on the other side of the North Sea in Stavanger, Oslo, Bergen and other Norwegian towns. The earliest known example is Edward Christie, who died in Bergen in 1599. He had only one daughter, so there are no Christies descending directly from him in Norway.  But, another Christie family lived in Bergen. An Andrew Davidson Christie (ca.1620-1694) who went to Bergen in 1654 or earlier, and married Anna, daughter of Henry Guthrie.  Both Christie and his father-in-law Guthrie originated from Montrose in Scotland (about 25 miles south of  Stonehaven).  Andrew Christie has many descendants in Norway, some of whom are rather famous in Norway. There is also a street in Oslo named after the first president of the Norwegian Parliament, Wilhelm F K Christie. Interestingly, Norway's great dramatist, Henrik Ibsen always insisted he was of Scottish descent. It may also be coincidental, but Christie is a long established name in Bergen County, New Jersey, USA.