Surname Petursson - Meaning and Origin

Petursson: What does the surname Petursson mean?

The last name Petursson is of Icelandic origin and it is a patronymic name. In Icelandic tradition, rather than carrying a family surname through generations, children adopt a last name based on their father's first name with the addition of -son (son) or -dóttir(daughter) as a suffix. Therefore, "Petursson" would mean "son of Petur," with "Petur" being the Icelandic variant of the name "Peter". The endearing lineage signifier "-sson" translates to "son", this signals a direct lineage to a father named Peter. This is a common practice in Iceland and the tradition helps preserve the culture's emphasis on a person's immediate family relationships. It is noteworthy that married women in Iceland retain their maiden names because of this naming convention.

Petursson: Where does the name Petursson come from?

The last name Petursson is most commonly found in Iceland today, where it is the second most common surname. According to the Icelandic Genealogy Society, there are an estimated 17,554 people with the name Petursson or a variant of the name, such as Pétursson or Pétur. Some of their descendants have also spread to other countries in Europe and around the world, but in smaller numbers.

In Iceland, the name Petursson is commonly associated with the settlement of Rauðasandur in the Westfjords of Iceland, where Pétur Pétursson established his family in the 1800s. This line of the family is now distributed throughout the Westfjords, as well as other parts of Iceland. There are several branches of the family elsewhere in the world, as descendants of Pétur Pétursson have emigrated and adopted or taken on different surnames.

There are also several distinct Petursson family lines in North America, often associated with the early Icelandic settlements in Canada, such as the New Iceland community in Manitoba, Canada. Some of these families have kept their original surname, while others have adopted different names.

Lastly, the last name is also found in Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as other parts of Europe, but in much smaller numbers than Iceland. Depending on where one researches, Petursson may also be spelled in different ways, such as Pedersen or Pehrsson.

Variations of the surname Petursson

Petursson is a Icelandic patronymic surname that originated from the given name Petur, which is derived from Saint Peter. As such, spellings of the surname vary depending on the individual dialect of Icelandic.

Variants of Petursson include Petursdóttir, a matronymic name based on the given name Pétur, as well as Pétursdóttir or Pétursson. These variants can also be altered in spelling by permutation of letters or additional characters. Common spellings used are Petursson or Peturssen, although in some dialects, Péturson is used as the spelling.

A variation of the Icelandic patronymic surname is also seen in British surnames, in which the surname appears as Pedderson or Pederson. These surnames are derived from the given name Peder, which is a Danish and Norwegian variant of the Latin name Petrus.

In Icelandic, other surnames derived from the given name Petur include Pétur, Pétursson, Pétur Ingibergsson, Pétursdóttir and Petursdóttir, all of which have slightly different spelling variations, but are essentially the same surname, Petursson.

In other cultures, the surname may also be seen as Peeters and Peters, which are Dutch variants of the Latin name Petrus. In some cases, Petursson is also transformed into Pedroson, Spanish variants of the name Petrus.

All of the variants of this surname ultimately derive from the Latin name Petrus, which is derived from the Greek name Petros. All of these variants share a common ancestry, making them all closely related.

Famous people with the name Petursson

• Bjarni Petursson: Icelandic former basketball player who represented the Icelandic men's national basketball team on twenty-one occasions.
• Gunnar Petursson: Icelandic former football player and manager. He was the manager of the Icelandic men's national football team from 1969 to 1973.
• Magnus Petursson: Icelandic academic and poet, best known for his works in modern Icelandic literature.
• Páll Petursson (aka Paul Petersen): Icelandic actor and singer who was a member of the pop group The Monkees in the 1960's and 70's.
• Sveinn Petursson: Icelandic painter and sculptor, whose works focus on national identity and the Mímir and his Ring of Power mythology.
• Thórarinn Petursson: Icelandic football player who currently plays for the Icelandic men’s national football team.
• Halldór Petursson: Icelandic football manager who has managed numerous teams, including the Icelandic men's national team from 1996 to 1997.
• Kristín Petursdóttir: Icelandic camera assistant and production assistant who has worked on numerous film and television production sets.
• Trausti Petursson: Icelandic businessman and entrepreneur who is the owner of the Petursson group, a business conglomerate.
• Jón Pétursson: Icelandic ice hockey player who has played for numerous teams in the European League.

Other surnames

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