Heathenry – Paths of the Earth

Heathenry is a family of modern religious paths inspired by pre-Christian traditions of Germanic-speaking peoples. It includes Norse-focused Ásatrú and Forn Siðr, Anglo-Saxon Heathen practice, and some Continental Germanic and Pennsylvania Dutch paths. Many Heathens honor gods, ancestors, and spirits of place through offerings, seasonal gatherings, and household practice. There is no single governing church, universal creed, or ritual shared by everyone.

This guide treats Heathenry as the broader family. For a closer look at Scandinavian sources and practices, visit our Norse Paganism guide.

Explore this guide: History · Practices · Tools · Symbols · Words and phrases · Paths · Practitioners and places · Sources

History: ancient religions and a modern revival

Many related pasts, not one ancient church

Before and during the spread of Christianity, communities speaking Germanic languages lived across parts of northern and central Europe. Their religious life changed over time and differed from one region or household to another. The gods named in Norse sources include Odin, Thor, Freyja, and Freyr; related Old English names include Woden and Thunor. Similar names do not mean that every community told the same stories or followed the same calendar. Local places, ancestors, household ties, and gift giving also mattered. There was no unified historical religion called “Heathenry” with a central authority.

Evidence comes from several kinds of source: Roman observers such as Tacitus writing about Germanic peoples; later Christian writers on England and the Continent; place names; burial and ritual archaeology; runic inscriptions; and, for Scandinavia, sagas and the Poetic and Prose Eddas. The Eddas preserve important mythology but were written down in medieval Christian Iceland, long after many practices they describe. England's early pagan traditions left especially little direct written description. Archaeological objects can reveal worship and commemoration, but they rarely supply a complete ritual script. Historical claims are strongest when the date, place, and limits of each source are clear.

Conversion took centuries and followed different routes. Anglo-Saxon kingdoms encountered Christian missions from the late sixth century onward; continental Germanic communities changed under varying political and missionary pressures; in Scandinavia the process extended through the Viking Age and beyond. Customs and stories could continue in altered form, but there is no demonstrated continuous organization handing down a complete pre-Christian Heathen religion into the present.

Reconstruction in recent centuries

Nineteenth- and twentieth-century interest in Germanic languages, myth, and folklore helped shape later revivals. Some writers approached this material through scholarship or art; others tied it to racial nationalism. Modern communities therefore have to evaluate both their historical sources and the uses made of them. A modern rite may be inspired by an old description while its present form is newly assembled.

Organized contemporary Heathen groups grew especially from the late twentieth century. Iceland's Ásatrúarfélagið was founded in 1972 and recognized as a religious association in 1973. The Troth began in the United States in 1987 as a network for study and community; groups formed or expanded in other Nordic countries and elsewhere. These movements have different approaches to theology, historical reconstruction, membership, and public ritual. Today's Heathenry is a living set of choices built with incomplete historical evidence, not a reenactment of a single Viking Age society.

Common practices

Practices differ by household, local group, and tradition. A person may worship alone or with a kindred; some focus on particular gods, while others place more emphasis on ancestors or the beings of a local landscape.

Offerings and blót: a modern blót is commonly a rite of giving thanks or making an offering to a god or other honored being. Food, drink, words, and acts of service may be given. Historical animal sacrifice is documented in some pre-Christian settings, but it is not a requirement or a general description of modern ceremonies.
Household and ancestor remembrance: a person might keep a small space for remembrance, name deceased loved ones, prepare a meal, or tell family stories. “Ancestor” may include people whose care and example shaped one's life; beliefs about them vary.
Land and home spirits: some Heathens offer thanks to local beings often called landvættir in Norse usage, or develop a relationship with the places where they live. Local ecology and permission to use a site matter more than importing an imagined Nordic landscape everywhere.
Sumbel or symbel: in many present-day groups, people share a cup or horn and make rounds of toasts, remembrance, praise, or promises. The modern rite draws on historical feasting literature and later interpretation; there is no single ancient script everyone must use. Nonalcoholic drinks can serve the same communal purpose.
Seasonal gatherings: winter and summer observances, harvest gatherings, and local festivals often involve hospitality, a meal, and offerings. Dates and names vary between Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Continental, and modern local calendars; the Wiccan eight-festival Wheel of the Year is not a universal Heathen calendar.
Study and ethics: people read historical sources, compare translations, and reflect on hospitality, reciprocity, keeping commitments, and caring for a community. The “Nine Noble Virtues” are a modern list used by some, not an ancient or universal Heathen code.

Tools used in these practices

Many forms of prayer or offering need only a safe place and sincere intention. Objects can help a group share a recognizable ritual, but ownership of them does not define a Heathen.

Cup or drinking horn: holds a beverage for a toast, shared sumbel, or libation. A plain cup works as well as a horn; water or another nonalcoholic drink is suitable.
Bowl and small altar or shelf: can hold an offering or give household practice a dedicated place. Dispose of offerings in a way that respects wildlife, local rules, and the land.
Hammer image or ritual hammer: used in some Norse-focused rites to invoke Thor or bless a space or offering. This is a choice in those communities, not a requirement for all Germanic paths.
Candle, hearth fire, or safe outdoor fire: offers a focal point for remembrance or a gathering. Fire safety and site permissions still apply.
Written lore and journal: source texts, translations, family records, and personal notes help distinguish historical evidence from contemporary practice.
Runic set, when used: some modern Heathens use rune pieces for reflection or divination. Runes were historically writing systems; a specific modern divination spread should not be presented as an ancient universal rite.

Common symbols and their context

Thor's hammer (Mjölnir): hammer-shaped amulets and images are attested in Viking Age Scandinavia and are widely worn by Norse-focused Heathens today. It is not the emblem of every Anglo-Saxon or Continental tradition.
Runes: letters of several related historical alphabets used over many centuries. Their shapes now appear in art, inscriptions, jewelry, and some spiritual practices. Meanings depend on the particular inscription, period, and modern interpretation; a rune is not automatically a magical symbol.
Tree and hearth imagery: a tree may evoke the Norse world tree Yggdrasil or a living local landscape; a hearth can stand for household care and hospitality. These are broad images rather than standardized emblems.
The valknut: interlocking triangles found in some early Scandinavian imagery and used by some modern Heathens. Its original meaning is debated, so claims that it had one certain ancient religious use go beyond the evidence.

Some historic-looking symbols have also been appropriated by racist movements. Their presence alone does not establish someone's beliefs. Many contemporary Heathen organizations explicitly reject racial exclusion and welcome people of all backgrounds.

Common words and phrases

Heathenry / Heathen: modern umbrella terms for these related paths and their practitioners. Some prefer the name of a more specific tradition.
Ásatrú: a modern name commonly used for Norse-focused religion; individual groups define its scope differently. Forn Siðr or Forn Sed means roughly “old custom” in Nordic contexts.
Blót: an Old Norse term associated with sacrifice, often used now for a ritual offering.
Sumbel / symbel: a modern communal round of toasts, praise, remembrance, and sometimes carefully considered oaths; the two spellings reflect different linguistic and community preferences.
Kindred: a local Heathen group. Some groups use hearth or another name; members need not be biologically related.
Frith: a term used in discussions of peace, trust, and the relationships that hold a household or group together. Modern interpretations differ.
Landvættir: an Old Norse word used for spirits or beings associated with places. Other regional traditions may use different words and ideas.
“Hail” and “Skál!”: words that may be heard in toasts, especially in Norse-focused settings. They are not mandatory prayers, and skál is also an ordinary Scandinavian toast.

Paths within Heathenry

There are no agreed official “subclasses.” The following are overlapping modern traditions and approaches, not ranked levels of one religion:

Norse-focused Ásatrú and Forn Siðr: draw chiefly on Scandinavian history and mythology. Contemporary Icelandic, Danish, and other groups have their own rituals and membership rules. Read the Norse Paganism guide for a closer look.
Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, sometimes called Fyrnsidu: gives particular attention to early English sources, language, and regional deities such as Woden and Thunor. The surviving evidence is thinner than the Norse mythological record, so reconstructions require extra care.
Continental Germanic and regional paths: may focus on traditions of mainland Germanic-speaking regions. Urglaawe is a modern inclusive path that interprets Continental sources through Pennsylvania Dutch (Deitsch) language and culture.
Reconstructionist, adaptive, and solitary practice: these describe how someone works with sources and community rather than separate pantheons. A Heathen may prioritize documented customs, adapt ritual to modern life, practice alone, or combine these approaches.

Some groups make ancestry or ethnicity a condition of participation, while inclusive groups reject that restriction. Those are contemporary membership positions, not a settled division inherited from pre-Christian Europe. No one organization speaks for all Heathens.

Approximately how many practice, and where?

No reliable worldwide count of actively practicing Heathens exists. Census responses record religious identity, and organizations count their own members. The following dated figures give scale without measuring the same population:

England and Wales: 4,722 people were reported in the detailed “Heathen” religion category in the 2021 census. The voluntary question measures affiliation whether or not someone actively practices. It can miss people who chose “Pagan,” another label, or no response, and it does not cover the rest of the UK.
Iceland: Ásatrúarfélagið reported 6,250 members on November 1, 2025. That is membership in one Icelandic organization, not a census of all Heathens there or elsewhere.
Denmark: the registered Forn Siðr association describes itself as having over 600 members. This is another organizational figure, not a full count of Danish believers.

These numbers cannot simply be added into a global estimate. Iceland and the Nordic countries have visible organized communities; England and Wales have a measurable census category; the United States has local kindreds and national networks such as The Troth. Practitioners also gather in other parts of Europe, Canada, and elsewhere. These are documented centers of activity, not a verified ranking of where the most people practice. Iceland is especially visible through its national religious association, while many Heathens in other countries practice privately.

Sources and further reading

This guide describes diverse living communities and separates surviving historical evidence from modern interpretation. Population figures were checked in September 2026.

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