Köping was a Swedish denomination for a market town since the Middle Ages. The designation was officially abolished with the municipal reform of 1971, when Sweden was subdivided into the Municipalities of Sweden (currently amounting to 290).
As present-day Finland was once a part of Sweden, the Finnish word kauppala has the same meaning. In modern Finnish, the word kaupunki is the main word for town and city. Swedish köping and the English toponym chipping are also cognates as is the Norwegian word kjøpstad and the Danish toponymical suffix -købing.
Sweden
History In 1863 the first local government acts were implemented in Sweden. There were two acts, one for cities and one for rural areas. Of the around 2,500 municipalities, 89 had city rights and thus had the right to call themselves stad (city). Under the "rural" act there were also eight localities given the status of köping, which positioned them between a rural municipality and a town (see municipalköping). The number of localities designated as köping rose dramatically during the 20th century and reached its peak in 1959, when they were 95. Many new settlements during the industrialization of Sweden, as well as some of the suburbs in the metropolitan areas, first received the title of köping and it was also made part of their name (such as Linköping or Nyköping). They later grew further and received town privileges, but kept the köping ending of their names. See the list below. It has been found that a vast majority, nearly 70%, of such designated market-towns lie within an area of in south-central Sweden, especially in the highly economically productive region immediately west and south of Stockholm, in Södermanland, Örebro, Östergötland, and Jönköping counties.
A large-scale merger of Swedish municipalities in 1971 removed the distinctions between towns, market towns and rural municipalities. Many of the former market towns are now seats of municipalities. In contrast to the term stad, köping is seldom used in everyday speech today.
Toponyms containing the word köping
Municipal Seats
Linköping (104,232 inhabitants) Jönköping (89,396) Norrköping (87,247) Nyköping (29,891) Lidköping (25,644) Enköping (21,121) Köping (17,743) Falköping (16,350) Söderköping (6,992)
Minor Localities
Malmköping (1,977) Köpingsvik (599) Äsköping (342)
Localities/Parishes in the Diocese of Lund
Löddeköpinge (6,290) Hököpinge (1,105) Dalköpinge:sv:Dalköpinge socken Kyrkoköpinge:sv:Kyrkoköpinge socken Sireköpinge:sv:Sireköpinge socken Stora Köpinge:sv:Stora Köpinge socken
Köping titles issued 1863–1959 County Köping From To NoteBlekinge County Kristianopel see municipalköpingOlofström 01.01.1941 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityRonneby 1686 30.11.1882 received city privilegesDalarna CountyAvesta 01.01.1907 31.03.1919 received city privilegesBorlänge 01.01.1898 31.12.1943 received city privilegesKrylbo 01.01.1919 31.12.1966 merged into Avesta cityLudvika 01.01.1915 31.12.1918 received city privilegesMora 01.01.1959 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMorastrand 01.01.1908 31.12.1958 merged into Mora köping)Smedjebacken 01.01.1918 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityGävleborg CountyBjörkhamre 01.01.1923 31.12.1941 merged into Bollnäs cityBollnäs 01.01.1906 31.12.1941 received city privilegesLjusdal 01.01.1914 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySandviken 01.01.1927 31.12.1942 received city privilegesStorvik 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 merged into Sandviken MunicipalityGotland CountySlite 01.01.1936 31.12.1970 merged into Gotland MunicipalityHalland CountyOskarström 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; today part of Halmstad MunicipalityJämtland CountyFrösön 01.01.1948 31.12.1970 merged into Östersund MunicipalitySveg 01.01.1937 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; today part of Härjedalen MunicipalityJönköping CountyAnderstorp 01.01.1953 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; today part of Gislaved MunicipalityBodafors 01.01.1930 31.12.1970 merged into Nässjö MunicipalityGislaved 01.01.1949 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHuskvarna 31.12 1907 31.12.1910 received city privileges; today part of Jönköping MunicipalityMariannelund 01.01.1928 31.12.1970 merged into Eksjö MunicipalityNorrahammar 31.12 1943 31.12.1970 merged into Jönköping MunicipalitySkillingaryd 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTranås 01.01.1882 31.12.1918 received city privilegesVaggeryd 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVetlanda 01.01.1909 31.12.1919 received city privilegesVärnamo 1620 31.12.1920 received city privilegesKalmar CountyEmmaboda 01.01.1930 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityFigeholm 01.01.1878 31.12.1951 merged into Misterhult Municipality, today part of Oskarshamn Municipality; municipalköping prior to 1878Gamleby see municipalköpingHultsfred 01.01.1927 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMönsterås 1620 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMörbylånga 1881 31.12.1951 formed a municipality; municipalköping prior to 1880)Nybro 25.04.1879 31.12.1931 received city privileges; previously municipalköping from 1865)Pataholm see municipalköpingPåskallavik see municipalköpingVirserum 01.01.1956 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKronoberg CountyAlvesta 01.01.1945 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHovmantorp 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 split between Lessebo and Växjö Municipalities)Lenhovda 01.01.1957 31.12.1970 merged into Uppvidinge MunicipalityLessebo 01.01.1939 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityLjungby see municipalköpingMarkaryd 01.01.1916 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityRyd (Almundsryd) 01.01.1958 31.12.1970 split between Tingsryd and Älmhult Municipalities)Tingsryd 01.01.1921 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTraryd 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 merged into Markaryd MunicipalityÅseda 01.01.1943 31.12.1970 merged into Uppvidinge MunicipalityÄlmhult 01.01.1901 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityNorrbotten CountyÄlvsbyn 01.01.1948 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÖrebro CountyDegerfors 01.01.1943 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityFrövi 01.01.1955 31.12.1970 merged into Lindesberg Municipality Hallsberg 01.01.1908 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHällefors 01.01.1950 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKopparberg 01.01.1908 31.12.1961 merged into Ljusnarsbergs köping)Laxå 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityLjusnarsberg 01.01.1962 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÖstergötland CountyBoxholm 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityFinspång 01.01.1942 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMotala 1820 31.12.1880 received city privileges Valdemarsvik 01.01.1914 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; prior to 1914 municipalköping; oldest köping charter from 1647)Åtvidaberg 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySkåne CountyBjuv 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityBromölla 01.01.1942 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityBåstad 01.01.1937 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; before 1937 municipalköping)Eslöv 01.01.1875 31.12.1910 received city privilegesFurulund 01.01.1952 31.12.1968 merged into Kävlinge köping)Hässleholm 01.01.1901 31.12.1913 received city privilegesHörby 01.01.1900 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHöör 01.01.1939 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKlippan 01.01.1945 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKävlinge 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityLimhamn 01.01.1906 31.12.1914 merged into Malmö cityLomma 01.01.1951 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityOsby 01.01.1937 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityPerstorp 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySjöbo 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySkurup 01.01.1914 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySvedala 01.01.1919 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTomelilla 01.01.1921 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTrelleborg see municipalköpingVinslöv 01.01.1934 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÅhus 01.01.1905 31.12.1970 merged into Kristianstad MunicipalityÅstorp 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySödermanland CountyGnesta 01.01.1955 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMalmköping 1784 31.12.1970 merged into Flen MunicipalityStockholm CountyDanderyd 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 became municipalityDjursholm 01.01.1901 31.12.1913 received city privileges; today part of Danderyd MunicipalityHässelby Villastad 01.01.1926 01.01.1948 merged into Stockholm CityLidingö 01.01.1910 31.12.1925 received city privilegesNynäshamn 01.01.1911 31.12.1945 received city privilegesSaltsjöbaden 01.01.1909 31.12.1970 merged into Nacka MunicipalitySollentuna 01.01.1944 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityStocksund 01.01.1910 31.12.1966 merged into Djursholm city; today part of Danderyd MunicipalitySundbyberg 01.01.1888 31.12.1926 received city privilegesTäby 01.01.1948 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityUppsala CountyTierp 01.01.1920 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVärmland CountyArvika 1811 31.12 1910 received city privilegesGrums 01.01.1948 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHammarö 01.01.1950 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMunkfors 01.01.1949 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityStorfors 01.01.1950 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySunne 01.01.1920 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySäffle 01.01.1882 31.12.1950 received city privilegesÅrjäng 01.01.1941 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVästerbotten CountyHolmsund 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipality; today part of Umeå MunicipalityLycksele 01.01.1929 31.12.1945 received city privilegesVilhelmina 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVännäs 01.01.1928 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÅsele 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVästernorrland CountySkön 01.01.1952 31.12.1964 merged into Sundsvall citySollefteå 01.01.1902 31.12.1916 received city privilegesTimrå 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÅnge 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityÖrnsköldsvik 06.12.1842 30.06.1894 received city privilegesVästmanland CountyHallstahammar 01.01.1943 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKungsör 01.01.1907 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityNorberg 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVästra Götaland CountyBengtsfors 01.01.1926 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityGrebbestad 01.01.1929 31.12.1951 merged into Tanum MunicipalityGrästorp 01.01.1900 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityGötene 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityHerrljunga 01.01.1952 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityKinna 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 merged into Mark MunicipalityLilla Edet 01.01.1951 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityMellerud 01.01.1908 31.12.1970 formed a municipalitySkene 01.01.1951 31.12.1970 merged into Mark MunicipalitySvenljunga 01.01.1946 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTibro 01.01.1947 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityTidaholm 01.01.1895 31.12.1909 received city privilegesTöreboda 01.01.1909 31.12.1970 formed a municipalityVara 01.01.1894 31.12.1970 formed a municipality
See also Municipalities of Sweden List of cities in Sweden Stad (Sweden) Urban areas of Sweden
References