Herøy, Nordland

For other places with the same name, see Herøy (disambiguation).

Herøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Silvalen. The municipality is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of the town of Sandnessjøen.

Herøy Municipality Herøy kommune
Municipality
Herø herred  (historic name)
De syv søstre mountains seen from Herøy
Flag Coat of arms
Nordland within Norway
Herøy within Nordland
Coordinates: 65°59′55″N 12°13′02″E
Country	Norway
County	Nordland
District	Helgeland
Established	1864
• Preceded by	Alstahaug Municipality
Administrative centre	Silvalen
Government
• Mayor (2019)	Elbjørg Larsen (Ap)
Area
• Total	64.46 km2 (24.89 sq mi)
• Land	63.89 km2 (24.67 sq mi)
• Water	0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi)  0.9%
• Rank	#343 in Norway
Population  (2023)
• Total	1,839
• Rank	#289 in Norway
• Density	28.8/km2 (75/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	+4.5%
Demonym	Herøfjerding[1]
Official language [2]
• Norwegian form	Bokmål
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-1818[3]
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

The 64-square-kilometre (25 sq mi) municipality is the 343rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Herøy is the 289th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,839. The municipality's population density is 28.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (75/sq mi) and its population has increased by 4.5% over the previous 10-year period.^[4][5]

General information

Restroom with a view

The municipality of Herøy was established in 1864 when it was separated from Alstahaug Municipality. Initially the population of Herøy was 2,438. On 1 July 1917, the northern district of Herøy (population: 1,530) was separated from Herøy to become the new Nordvik Municipality. This left Herøy with 2,555 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962 the part of Herøy on the island of Dønna (population: 19) was transferred to the new Dønna Municipality. On 1 January 1965 the Husvær/Sandværet island groups (population: 461) were transferred from Alstahaug Municipality to Herøy Municipality.^[6]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the islands of Søndre Herøya and Nordre Herøya (Old Norse: Herøyjar). The first element is herr which means "army" (here in the sense of skipaherr which means "military fleet"). The last element is the definite form of øy which means "island". The sound between the islands was probably a meeting place for the Leidang fleet of the district.^[7][8] Historically, the name of the municiaplity was spelled Herø. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Herøy.^[9]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 3 July 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, three oars Or issuant from the base, the central one abased" (Norwegian: I blått tre oppvoksende gull årer, den midterste nedsenket). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is three vertical oars arranged in a horizontal row, with the middle oar, slightly lower. The oars have a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of the ocean for the island municipality. The oar was chosen to represent the importance of boats. The municipal name comes from the Old Norse word "herr" which means a military meeting place, i.e. the place where fleet gathers. Thus the arms are canting. The arms were designed by Jarle E. Henriksen.^[10][11][7]

See also: the coats of arms of: Fedje and Lenvik

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Herøy Municipality. It is part of the Nord-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Churches in Herøy

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Herøy	Herøy Church	Silvalen	12th century
	Gåsvær Chapel	Gåsvær	1951
	Husvær Chapel	Husvær	1936
	Sandvær Chapel	Sandværet	1947

Geography

View of Gåsvær

The municipality of Herøy consists of about 1,700 little islands and islets. The main islands are Nord-Herøy, Sør-Herøy, Tenna, Ytre Øksningan, Indre Øksningan, Seløya, and Staulen— all of which are connected by bridges including Åkviksundet Bridge, Hoholmen Bridge, Kalvøyrevet Bridge. Most islands are low and close to the sea surface.^[12]

There are also several smaller outlying island groups such as Gåsvær, Husvær, and Sandværet. Ytterholmen Lighthouse is located in the far western part of the municipality.

Government

Herøy Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.^[13] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Herøy is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Herøy kommunestyre 2023–2027 ^[14]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	4
	Herøy Local List (Herøy Bygdeliste)	5
Total number of members:		19

Herøy kommunestyre 2019–2023 ^[15]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Herøy Local List (Herøy Bygdeliste)	4
Total number of members:		19

Herøy kommunestyre 2015–2019 ^[16]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		19

Herøy kommunestyre 2011–2015 ^[17]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	3
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre)	5
Total number of members:		19

Herøy kommunestyre 2007–2011 ^[16]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	3
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		19

Herøy kommunestyre 2003–2007 ^[16]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		17

Herøy kommunestyre 1999–2003 ^[16]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	5
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1995–1999 ^[18]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre)	5
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1991–1995 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre)	5
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1987–1991 ^[20]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1983–1987 ^[21]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1979–1983 ^[22]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1975–1979 ^[23]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1971–1975 ^[24]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		21

Herøy kommunestyre 1967–1971 ^[25]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	16
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		25

Herøy kommunestyre 1963–1967 ^[26]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	6
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	3
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1959–1963 ^[27]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	7
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1955–1959 ^[28]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	12
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1951–1955 ^[29]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	10
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1947–1951 ^[30]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	8
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1945–1947 ^[31]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)	5
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	11
Total number of members:		21

Herøy herredsstyre 1937–1941* ^[32]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	11
Total number of members:		16
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Herøy (incomplete list):

• 2003-2019: Arnt Frode Jensen (Ap)
• 2019–present: Elbjørg Larsen (Ap)

Economy

The main industries in the municipality is fishing, fish farming and processing activities associated with this. Other important industries are agriculture, transportation, service industries, and tourism.

Notable people

• Petter Dass (ca.1647 – 1707), a Lutheran priest and the foremost Norwegian poet of his generation.^[33]
• Benjamin Dass (1706 at Skar farm in Alstahaug, Herøy – 1775), an educator and scholar, Rector of Trondheim Cathedral School

References

1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
3. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
6. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
7. "Herøys kommunevåpen" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
8. Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 100.
9. Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1908. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Fred T. Salicath. 1908. p. 24.
10. "Herøy, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
11. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 3 July 1987. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
12. Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (29 August 2018). "Herøy – Nordland". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
13. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
14. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
15. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
16. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
17. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
19. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
20. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
23. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
24. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
25. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
26. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
33. "Petter Dass" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. VI (9th ed.). 1878. p. 831.

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)

• Nordland travel guide from Wikivoyage