Alternatively, some scholars propose that the Viking expansion was driven by a youth bulge effect: since the eldest son of a family customarily inherited the family's entire estate, younger sons had to seek their fortune by emigrating or engaging in raids.
Andre forskere har forslået at vikingerne ekspansion var drevet af en overrepræsentation af unge mennesker: siden den ældste søn i familien normalt stod til at arve hele gården, har yngre sønner haft et motiv til at rejse ud for at søge deres egen lykke ved at emigrere eller plyndre.