"The word "viking" means something like "raid" in Old Norse; "vikingr" means something like "one who raids"; but there is no doubt that the word Viking came to mean the loosely-organized cultural groups in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, who shared a common economy: hunting, fishing, and piracy.

The #Viking Age' is traditionally marked with the first raid on England, in AD 793, and ends with the death of Harald Hardrada in 1066, in a failed attempt to attain the English throne.


Raiding as a lifestyle was established in Scandinavia by the 6th century, as illustrated in the epic English tale of Beowulf. But, as population grew, and trading networks into Europe became established, the Vikings became aware of the wealth of their neighbors, both in silver and in land.

Led by the Norwegians, the first raids were on monasteries in Northumberland on the northeast coast of England, at Lindisfarne (AD 793), Jarrow (794) and Wearmouth (794), and in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, at Iona (795).

These raids were exclusively for money—if the Norwegians couldn't find enough money in the monastery stores, they ransomed the monks back to the church. Eventually, the Vikings established strongholds and took land, expanding their landholdings through bloody battles, slavery and personal violence.

This pattern took place not just in England, but in the countries that are now Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France, Wales, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and Turkey.

A different pattern took place in Iceland and Greenland, and Canada"

from 'The Vikings' About.com Archeology

Vikings were not universally large, blonde, hairy, and blue-eyed.
In fact, the Vikings demonstrated considerable genetic diversity.

Many modern towns in the area I live in in NW England still have names associated with old Norse.