Gustafson

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A common Swedish-derived family name, meaning son of Gustaf, carried by many different people
2. A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, borne by numerous individuals across English-speaking countries
3. A family name of Swedish origin, literally meaning the son of a man called Gustaf

Etymology: Swedish families once took their surnames from their fathers, so a child of Gustaf became Gustafsson, "son of Gustaf." The double-s spelling is the usual Swedish form, and the single-s Gustafson is a common variant, especially among Swedish emigrants and their descendants in English-speaking countries. The first element, Gustaf, is the Swedish form of Gustavus, a given name that remained popular in Sweden for centuries. The ending "-son" comes from Old Norse "sonr," meaning "son," which is also the source of the English word "son" and shares its Germanic root. The same pattern produced many other Scandinavian surnames, such as Johansson and Andersson.