Köping

"This article deals with the Swedish denomination for a market town. For the city, see Köping, Sweden. For the municipality, see Köping Municipality.

"Köping" (cognate to the English toponymical name "Chipping") was a Swedish denomination for a market town. This term was finally abolished with the municipal reform of 1971, when Sweden was subdivided into the Municipalities of Sweden (currently amounting to 290).

In medieval times it was the designation of an official for town or market place. As present-day Finland was then a part of Sweden, the Finnish word "kauppala" has the same meaning. The Finnish word "kaupunki", borrowed from the Old Norse word for köping, is today the main word for town or city in Finnish.

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 were cities. Under the "rural" act also the eight market towns, which were instituted as municipalities, were governed. Thus, the term köping was used for a third type of municipalities, with a status between a rural municipality and a city. The number of this type of unit rose dramatically during the 20th century and reached its peak in 1959 with 95 entities. Many of the new settlements, which grew up as result of industrialization and some of the suburbs in the metropolitan areas, got the title of a "köping" and perhaps later the title of a "stad". See the list below.

A new municipal system with mixed rural/urban entities was introduced in 1971, and removed the distinctions between cities, 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.

List of municipalities

List of place-names containing the word "köping":

*Enköping
*Falköping
*Jönköping
*Köping
*Lidköping
*Linköping
*Malmköping
*Norrköping
*Nyköping
*Söderköping
*Äsköping

Köping titles issued 1863–1959

Blekinge County:

*Kristianopel, see municipalköping
*Olofström 1/1 1941–31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Ronneby 1686 – 30/11 1882 (received city privileges)

Dalarna County

*Avesta 1/1 1907 – 31/3 1919 (received city privileges)
*Borlänge 1/1 1898 – 31/12 1943 (received city privileges)
*Krylbo 1/1 1919 – 31/12 1966 (merged into Avesta city)
*Ludvika 1/1 1915 – 31/12 1918 (received city privileges)
*Mora 1/1 1959 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Morastrand 1/1 1908 – 31/12 1958 (merged into Mora köping)
*Smedjebacken 1/1 1918 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Gävleborg County

*Björkhamre 1/1 1923 – 31/12 1941 (merged into Bollnäs city)
*Bollnäs 1/1 1906 – 31/12 1941 (received city privileges)
*Ljusdal 1/1 1914 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Sandviken 1/1 1927 – 31/12 1942 (received city privileges)
*Storvik 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Sandviken Municipality)

Gotland County:

*Slite 1/1 1936 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Gotland Municipality)

Halland County

*Oskarström 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; today part of Halmstad Municipality)

Jämtland County

*Frösön 1/1 1948 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Östersund Municipality)
*Sveg 1/1 1937 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; today part of Härjedalen Municipality)

Jönköping County

*Anderstorp 1/1 1953 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; today part of Gislaved Municipality)
*Bodafors 1/1 1930 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Nässjö Municipality)
*Gislaved 1/1 1949 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Huskvarna 31/12 1907 – 31/12 1910 (received city privileges; today part of Jönköping Municipality)
*Mariannelund 1/1 1928 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Eksjö Municipality)
*Norrahammar 31/12 1943 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Jönköping Municipality)
*Skillingaryd 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Tranås 1/1 1882 – 31/12 1918 (received city privileges)
*Vaggeryd 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Vetlanda 1/1 1909 – 31/12 1919 (received city privileges)
*Värnamo 1620 – 31/10 1920 (received city privileges)

Kalmar County

*Emmaboda 1/1 1930 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Figeholm 1/1 1878 – 31/12 1951 (merged into Misterhult Municipality, today part of *Oskarshamn Municipality; municipalköping prior to 1878)
*Gamleby, see municipalköping
*Hultsfred 1/1 1927 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Mönsterås 1620 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Mörbylånga 1881 – 31/12 1951 (formed a municipality; municipalköping prior to 1880)
*Nybro 25/4 1879 – 31/12 1931 (received city privileges; previously municipalköping from 1865)
*Pataholm, see municipalköping
*Påskallavik, see municipalköping
*Virserum 1/1 1956 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Kronoberg County:

*Almundsryd, see Ryd
*Alvesta 1/1 1945 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Hovmantorp 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (split between Lessebo and Växjö Municipalities)
*Lenhovda 1/1 1957 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Uppvidinge Municipality)
*Lessebo 1/1 1939 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Ljungby, see municipalköping
*Markaryd 1/1 1916 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Ryd 1/1 1958 – 31/12 1970 (split between Tingsryd and Älmhult Municipalities)
*Tingsryd 1/1 1921 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Traryd 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Markaryd Municipality)
*Åseda 1/1 1943 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Uppvidinge Municipality)
*Älmhult 1/1 1901 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Norrbotten County

*Älvsbyn 1/1 1948 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Örebro County

*Degerfors 1/1 1943 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Frövi 1/1 1955 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Lindesberg Municipality)
*Hallsberg 1/1 1908 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Hällefors 1/1 1950 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Kopparberg 1/1 1908 – 31/12 1961 (merged into Ljusnarsbergs köping)
*Laxå 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Ljusnarsberg 1/1 1962 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Östergötland County

*Boxholm 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Finspång 1/1 1942 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Motala 1820 – 31/12 1880 (received city privileges)
*Valdemarsvik 1/1 1914 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; prior to 1914 municipalköping; oldest "köping" charter from 1647)
*Åtvidaberg 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Skåne County

*Bjuv 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Bromölla 1/1 1942 – 31/121 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Båstad 1/1 1937 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; before 1937 municipalköping)
*Eslöv 1/1 1875 – 31/12 1910 (received city privileges)
*Furulund 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1968 (merged into Kävlinge köping)
*Hässleholm 1/1 1901 – 31/12 1913 (received city privileges)
*Hörby 1/1 1900 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Höör 1/1 1939 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Klippan 1/1 1945 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Kävlinge 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Limhamn 1/1 1906 – 31/12 1914 (merged into Malmö city)
*Lomma 1/1 1951 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Osby 1/1 1937 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Perstorp 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Sjöbo 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Skurup 1/1 1914 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Svedala 1/1 1919 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Tomelilla 1/1 1921 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Trelleborg, see municipalköping
*Vinslöv 1/1 1934 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Åhus 1/1 1905 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Kristianstad Municipality)
*Åstorp 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Södermanland County

*Gnesta 1/1 1955 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Malmköping 1784 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Flen Municipality)

Stockholm County

*Danderyd 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (became municipality)
*Djursholm 1/1 1901 – 31/12 1913 (received city privileges; today part of Danderyd Municipality)
*Hässelby Villacity 1/1 1926 – 1/1 1948 (merged into Stockholm City)
*Lidingö 1/1 1910 – 31/12 1925 (received city privileges)
*Nynäshamn 1/1 1911 – 31/12 1945 (received city privileges)
*Saltsjöbaden 1/1 1909 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Nacka Municipality)
*Sollentuna 1/1 1944 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Stocksund 1/1 1910 – 31/12 1966 (merged into Djursholms city; today part of Danderyd Municipality)
*Sundbyberg 1/1 1888 – 31/12 1926 (received city privileges)
*Täby 1/1 1948 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Uppsala County

*Tierp 1/1 1920 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Värmland County

*Arvika 1811 – 31/12 1910 (received city privileges)
*Grums 1/1 1948 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Hammarö 1/1 1950 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Munkfors 1/1 1949 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Storfors 1/1 1950 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Sunne 1/1 1920 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Säffle 1/1 1882 – 31/12 1950 (received city privileges)
*Årjäng 1/1 1941 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Västerbotten County

*Holmsund 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality; today part of Umeå Municipality)
*Lycksele 1/1 1929 – 31/12 1945 (received city privileges)
*Vilhelmina 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Vännäs 1/1 1928 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Åsele 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Västernorrland County

*Skön 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1964 (merged into Sundsvall city)
*Sollefteå 1/1 1902 – 31/12 1916 (received city privileges)
*Timrå 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Ånge 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Örnsköldsvik 6/12 1842 – 30/6 1894 (received city privileges)

Västmanland County

*Hallstahammar 1/1 1943 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Kungsör 1/1 1907 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Norberg 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

Västra Götaland County

*Bengtsfors 1/1 1926 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Grebbestad 1/1 1929 – 31/12 1951 (merged into Tanum Municipality)
*Grästorp 1/1 1900 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Götene 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Herrljunga 1/1 1952 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Kinna 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Mark Municipality)
*Lilla Edet 1/1 1951 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Mellerud 1/1 1908 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Skene 1/1 1951 – 31/12 1970 (merged into Mark Municipality)
*Svenljunga 1/1 1946 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Tibro 1/1 1947 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Tidaholm 1/1 1895 – 31/12 1909 (received city privileges)
*Töreboda 1/1 1909 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)
*Vara 1/1 1894 – 31/12 1970 (formed a municipality)

See also

*Municipalities of Sweden
*List of cities in Sweden
*Stad (Sweden)
*Urban areas of Sweden