The Gyllenhaal family (Swedish:[ˈjʏ̂lːɛnˌhɑːl]) is a Swedish noble family descended from cavalry officer Lieutenant Nils Gunnarsson Haal (died 1680 or 1681), ennobled in 1652 with a change of name to "Gyllenhaal".[1][2]
The name "Gyllenhaal" originated from Nils Gunnarsson Gyllenhaal's father Gunne Olofsson Haal, who was from Hahlegården, a crown homestead in Södra Härene parish in the province of Västergötland in southwestern Sweden. Haal comes from the name of the farm estate "Hahlegården". In the knighthood letter, signed by Queen Christina, the family name was written in two different ways — first "Gyllenhahl" and then "Gyllenhaal". On the copperplate with his coat of arms now hanging in the House of Nobility (Riddarhuset) in Stockholm, it is spelled "Gyllenhahl".[3] Such ambiguities are typical of the time; it would be several generations before Swedish spelling was more strictly regulated. The prefix Gyllen ("Golden") was the one most used when ennobling someone since the 16th century.[note 1]
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, great-great grandson of the below-mentioned Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal, quipped during an interview before the British premiere of Prince of Persia that his last name was pronounced "Yil-en-hoo-luh-hay", parodying Americans' difficulties with Swedish pronunciation.[note 2][note 3]
Family history
Nils Gunnarsson Gyllenhaal's descendants today stem from two of his sons: Lars Gyllenhaal (1645–1710), Lieutenant of the Vestgotha cavalry regiment; and his younger brother Hans Gyllenhaal (1655–1710). Hans was killed in action at the Battle of Helsingborg as a cavalry captain.
The members of the older branch descending from Lars still live in Sweden. The most notable member of that branch was the Minister for JusticeLars Herman Gyllenhaal. In 1851, he was created Knight and Commander of the Royal Order of the Seraphim. His great-great grandson, Baron Herman Gyllenhaal of Härlingstorp (born 1934), is now the head of both branches of the noble family Gyllenhaal. He has a son, Lars.
All the members of the family in the United States are descended from Hans Gyllenhaal through his great great-great grandson Anders Leonard (1842–1905) and his wife Amanda (née Nelson, 1859–1948). Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal emigrated to the United States in 1865.[4] A prominent member of this younger branch thitherto was Leonard Gyllenhaal (1752–1840). In 1807, he was created a Knight of the Royal Order of Vasa for his scientific work as an entomologist, including his monograph on Swedish insects, Insecta Suecia descripta.
Notable members
Johan Abraham Gyllenhaal (1750–1788), geologist and mineralogist.[5]
Leonard Gyllenhaal (1752–1840), military officer and gentleman farmer, known as an entomologist and a leading Swedenborgian. His best-known work was his monograph on Swedish beetles, Insecta suecica. Coleoptera in 4 parts, published between 1808 and 1827.[1][2]
Mathilda d'Orozco (1796–1863), singer, composer and socialite; married in her third marriage to cavalry lieutenant Baron Carl Alexander Fredrik Gyllenhaal, son of Carl Henrik Gyllenhaal and his wife, Hedvig Charlotta Rudbeck (1789-1826). Matilda was a Spanish countess, born in Milan, Italy. She was first married to the stablemaster of Napoleon I's sister; in 1817, widowed, she married J. Montgomery-Cederhjelm in Vienna and became a leading figure and "trendsetter" in Stockholm society. In 1825 she was widowed again; she married a third time in 1839 to Carl Gyllenhaal. She was the subject of a poem by the leading Swedish poet Esaias Tegnér, and a song by Erik Gustaf Geijer; she herself wrote songs and set Tegnér's Rings Drapa to music.[2][7]
Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal (1842–1905), grandson of Leonard G., editor-in-chief of the Swedish-American newspaper Svenska Amerikanaren Tribunen in Chicago. Ancestor of the American branch.[4]
^In Danish, a double "aa" as in Gyllenhaal has for centuries normally been pronounced with an "o" sound as in English "for". In older Swedish, however, it was pronounced with a long "a" as in the English word "far"; the double "aa", as with the "ah" in the alternative "Gyllenhahl" (see above) only indicates a long vowel "a". The "o" sound corresponding to Danish "aa" was normally rendered by "å" ("åå", "åh").
^The second problem for English-speakers is how to pronounce the prefix "Gyllen", i.e. Golden. The USA branch of the family's solution is to pronounce it "Jill-EN-hall", but in Sweden "Gy" is pronounced as "Y" followed by a near-close near-front rounded vowel, comparable to the short German vowel "ü".
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