Surname Olsson - Meaning and Origin
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Olsson: What does the surname Olsson mean?
The last name Olsson is patronymic in origin, meaning it is derived from the name of the bearer's father. It is of Scandinavian origin, most common in Sweden, and translates to "son of Olof" or "Olof's Son". Olof is a Swedish variant of the given name Olav or Olaf, which is based on the Old Norse name "Áleifr” or "Anleifr". These names can be broken down into two parts: "anu", meaning 'ancestor', and "leifr", meaning 'heir', 'descendant', or 'inheritance'. So, in essence, one could interpret the original Old Norse name to mean "ancestor's descendant". However, in the context of the surname Olsson, it would generally be understood to mean "son of Olof".
As is common with patronymic names, Olsson would have originally been used as a means to distinguish between two individuals with the same given name, identifying one person as "Olof's son" as opposed to, for example, "Anders' son". Over time, these distinguishing names became hereditary surnames. Interestinly, in Sweden, patronymic names formalized into fixed family names only around the late 19th to early 20th century.
Instances of the surname Olsson can be found throughout history and in varied fields, with notable bearers including athletes, actors, musicians, and more.
Order DNA origin analysisOlsson: Where does the name Olsson come from?
The surname Olsson is commonly found in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. This name is likely derived from the Old Norse personal name Olaf and the Old Swedish suffix -son, meaning ‘son of Olaf’.
In Sweden, the Olsson surname is particularly frequent and has been the largest last name in the country for many years. It is the most commonly found last name in the majority of Sweden’s provinces, including Stockholm, Skåne, Västra Götaland, Östergötland, and Värmland. Other countries in the region like Norway and Denmark also have significant populations of individuals with the Olsson surname.
The surname has also spread around the world, particularly to areas where there is a large Swedish presence, such as the United States, Canada and Australia. Within the US, the surname is most frequently found in the states of Minnesota, California, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York.
Even outside of Scandinavia, the Olsson surname is still relatively common. According to World Names Profiler, there were approximately 5,700 people living around the world who had Olsson as their last name in 2015.
Variations of the surname Olsson
The surname Olsson is a patronymic or patronym name derived from the given name Olson or Olafson, a name derived from the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Old Norse name Ólāfr. It is a distinct and common Scandinavian surname and an alternative spelling of its anglicized form Olson.
Variants of the surname Olsson include Olsson, Oleson, Olsan, Olesen, Olsøn, Olesøn, Olssen, Olessen, Olsen, Oleson, Olafson, Olsson, Olsohn, Olschn, Olschon, Ollesson and Olotentz. In some parts of Scandinavia, Olsson has been changed to the spelling Olesen.
There are several different spellings of Olsson in different countries, such as Olsson, Olsen, Olsen and Olsan in Denmark; Olssoen, Olssen, Oleson and Olsen in Norway; and Olsson, Olafson and Olessen in Sweden. In Finland the name is sometimes spelled Olsohn, Olschon or Olschn.
Other surnames of a similar origin include Alson, Allson, Olson, Olian, Oliva, Oleson, Olsten, Olsten, Olszewski, Ollen, Olian, Olson, and Oliva. Olssohn is another variation, most commonly associated with people of Jewish descent originating from central and northern Europe.
In conclusion, the surname Olsson is a patronym name derived from the given name Olson or Olafson. Its variants and spellings include Olsson, Oleson, Olsan, Olesen, Olsøn, Olesøn, Olssen, Olessen, Olsen, Oleson, Olafson, Olsson, Olsohn, Olschn, Olschon, Ollesson, and Olotentz. In addition, surnames of similar origins include Alson, Allson, Olson, Olian, Oliva, Oleson, Olsten, Olsten, Olszewski, Ollen, Olian, Olson, and Oliva.
Famous people with the name Olsson
- Alexander Melker Olsson: This Swedish actor is known for his roles in TV shows and movies such as Beck, Stockholm Stories, and Return to Sender.
- Henrik Olsson: A renowned Swedish architect, he is instrumental in creating landmark buildings such as the Nobel Center in Stockholm and the Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmö.
- Claes Olsson: A former footballer who represented the Swedish national side, he is also the managing director of IFK Göteborg.
- Emma Olsson: A Swedish actress and singer, she is best known for her roles in the TV series The Inspectors and The Great Curiousity.
- Peter Olsson: This Swedish footballer was a member of the national side and is now a coach for local clubs.
- Ulrica Olsson: A designer, Ulrica is renowned for her prints on fabric and materials, which are part of her designs that are available worldwide.
- Jacqueline Olsson: A former Playboy Playmate model and TV personality, Jacqueline is currently working as a fashion blogger.
- Sarah Olsson: An award-winning novelist, she is best known for her dystopian novel 'The Onion Creek'.
- Caroline Olsson: A Sweden-based artist and sculptor, Caroline creates enigmatic sculptures that explore her personal heritage and identity.
- Kristina Olsson: An internationally acclaimed writer and author, she is best known for her novel 'Boy, Lost'.