Surnames in Alfheim

Alfa surnames

Both ljosalfar and svartalfar use surnames that are typically formed of two elements taken from nature. Sometimes they are found in unexpected combinations that may originally have been kennings, e.g. Winterglass “ice”.
However rather than surnames descending from the father only, alfar usually take the surname of the same-sex parent. The exception is among half-bloods, who usually take their fae parent's surname as a matter of prestige.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of typical alfa name elements:

Ash	Chalk	Wood	Rain	Silver	Song
Beech	Flint	Grove	Mist	Black	Bell
Birch	Slate	Brake	Snow	White	Swan
Oak	Rock	Sward	Wind	Grey	Steed
Holly	Stone	Brook	Frost	Red	Hawk
Pine	Crag	Pool	Sun	Green	Crow
Fern	Hill	River	Moon	Bright	Moth
Moss	Dale	Gate	Star	Fire	Bone
Leaf	Fell	Tower	Night	Air	Blood
Thorn	Mount	Spire	Dark	Earth	Wing
Rose	Hollow	Bridge	Dusk	Water	Horn
Lily	Cave	Hewn	Winter	Brand	Heart
Berry	Dell	Glass	Summer	Bound	Seed

Human surnames

Humans use a variety of surname types. Patronymics and matronymics are some of the most common - unlike, say, Icelandic surnames, they are usually taken from the same-sex parent. So for example when Freya left home, she dropped her father's surname (Winterglass) and took the name "Gitasdottir", after her mother Gita.
However humans in Alfheim also use toponyms (i.e. taken from place names, like Melby) and occupational surnames such as Smith or Taylor. These latter tend to be inherited from fathers, as in the mortal realm, though unmarried women have also passed down names such as Baxter and Brewster (the female forms of 'Baker' and 'Brewer' respectively).