Gustafsons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A plural surname used for several members of a family descended from a man named Gustaf, a Swedish patronymic meaning son of Gustaf
2. The family name of several people with a shared Scandinavian ancestry, meaning the sons or descendants of a man called Gustaf
3. Refers collectively to a group of people sharing the Swedish patronymic surname derived from the given name Gustaf

Etymology: "Gustafsons" is the plural of "Gustafson," a Swedish-origin surname meaning "son of Gustaf." The ending "-son" comes from Old Norse "sonr," and it was attached to a first name to mark descent, the same pattern found in English surnames like Johnson or Peterson. The plural "-s" simply refers to a whole family or several people who share the name. The first name "Gustaf" (also spelled "Gustav") is most likely connected to Old Norse "Gautr," an old name for Odin, and to the Gautar people of southern Sweden. The name spread widely in Sweden after Gustav Vasa, who ruled from 1523 to 1560, made it famous among the royal family. Because so many men were named Gustaf, the patronymic "Gustafson" became a common surname.