Surname Gustafson - Meaning and Origin

Gustafson: What does the surname Gustafson mean?

The last name Gustafson is of Swedish origin and it's a patronymic surname, meaning it's derived from the father's name. The name Gustafson quite literally means "son of Gustaf." Gustaf is a Swedish first name, equivalent in English to Gustav. Gustav itself is derived from the old Norse elements, "got" and "stafr", meaning "god" and "staff" respectively. Hence, the name Gustaf can be interpreted as "staff of the Gods". Therefore, Gustafson may be taken to mean "son of the staff of the gods". It's worth noting that the use of "son" at the end of many Scandinavian names including Gustafson signifies the patrilineal lineage prevalent in the culture, that is, tracing ancestry through the male line. Such patronymic surnames were common in Scandinavia but have now largely been replaced by fixed family names.

Gustafson: Where does the name Gustafson come from?

The surname Gustafson is of Swedish origin and it's a patronymic name derived from the personal name Gustaf, meaning "Staff of the Goths". The suffix "son" in Gustafson denotes "son of", so the surname essentially translates to "son of Gustaf".

In the Scandinavian tradition of name formation, children were often given a patronymic surname based on their father's first name. Thus, the name Gustafson would have been initially given to individuals who were sons of a man named Gustaf.

As for its prevalence today, Gustafson is quite common in Sweden, which is its country of origin. It is also commonly found among Swedish emigrants and their descendants in North America, particularly in areas where there are high populations of Swedish descendents, such as Minnesota and other parts of the Midwest region in the United States. However, it is still most commonly found in Sweden.

Variations of the surname Gustafson

The surname Gustafson traces its roots back to Scandinavian countries, predominantly Sweden. Variations and alternate spellings can include Gustavson, Gustavsen, Gustafsen, Gustavsson, Gustafsson, Gustason, and Gustason. These variants mainly reflect slight linguistic and regional differences in Scandinavia.

The surname Gustafson essentially means "son of Gustaf," being a patronymic surname. Variations such as Gustavson and Gustafsen directly translate to "son of Gustav". So, if the first name Gustav or Gustaf changes according to language and spelling, this results in these surname variations.

In Scandinavia, especially in Sweden, it's not uncommon to see the surname written as Gustavsson or Gustafsson, with a double 's', which is a characteristic way for Swedes to express 'son of.'

Finally, Gustason and Gustason, though less common, might be found in contexts where the name has been further Anglicized or adapted in non-Scandinavian countries. These variations, however, could also simply be misspellings. Overall, the surname Gustafson and its variants reflect the richness of Scandinavian heritage and spellings.

Famous people with the name Gustafson

• Robert Gustafson: An American mathematician known for Gustafson's Law in the field of computer programming and computer architecture.
• Eddie Gustafson: He is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played goaltender.
• Sofi Gustafson: Swedish professional basketball player and is considered one of the best women's basketball players from Sweden. She won the title of 'SEC Player of The Year' during her stint at the University of Iowa.
• Guy Gustafson: A professional American football player who played in the early 20th century.
• Thomas Gustafson: He is a Swedish former speed skater and multiple world record holder.
• Charlotte Gustafson: A famous Swedish politician and a member of the Moderate Party.
• Gustav Mauritz Gustafson– A Swedish soldier who received North American fame for his autobiographical book detailing his exploits.
• Dick Gustafson: A well-known Miami broadcaster who was inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Association's Hall of Fame.
• Anders Gustafson: A Swedish sprint canoeist who has won multiple international medals.
• Annie Gustafson: An American soccer player who played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s team.
• Elena Gustafson: A British actress known for her role in the film "Unhallowed Ground."
• John Gustafson: An influential British bass guitarist and singer, known for his association with the Ian Gillan Band and Roxy Music.

Other surnames

Gustafsen