IBESTAD

'Ibestad' is a municipality in the county of Troms, Norway.
Ibestad was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Six other municipalities were later separated from it: Bardu (1854), Salangen (1871), Lavangen (1907), Andørja (1926), Astafjord (1926) and Gratangen (1926). (Andørja was, however, again merged with Ibestad January 1, 1964.)

Contents

The name

Coat-of-arms

The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Ibestad (Norse ''Ívarsstaðir''), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the male name ''Ívarr'', the last element is ''staðir'' 'homestead, farm'.
Until 1918 the name was written ''Ibbestad''.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1986) - but the cross is taken from a Middle Age tombstone from the old Ibestad church.