Surname Olufson - Meaning and Origin

Olufson: What does the surname Olufson mean?

The surname Olufson is of Scandinavian origin, primarily found in Denmark and Norway. It is a patronymic name, meaning it is based on the name of someone's father. Specifically, "Olufson" can be interpreted as "son of Oluf" or "Oluf's son". The name Oluf itself is derived from the Old Norse name 'Óláfr', which combines the elements ‘ans’, meaning god, and ‘leifr’, meaning heir, descendant or beloved. Therefore, the overarching meaning of Olufson could be "son of the beloved descendant of god". This kind of last name was common in the Scandinavian region, where it was customary to create a surname by taking the father's first name and adding "son" or "datter" (daughter) at the end. It should also be noted that the spelling variant "Olafson" can also be encountered.

Olufson: Where does the name Olufson come from?

The last name Olufson is most common in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden. It is found mainly in Finland and Norway too, as well as Denmark, Iceland, and Greenland. Outside of Scandinavia, the name is also encountered in other countries with large Nordic populations, such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Immigration from these countries has led to an increase of people bearing the name Olufson outside its traditional homelands. The United States now has many people with the last name Olufson, especially in states and cities with large Nordic populations such as Minnesota and parts of the Midwest. In the United Kingdom, the highest concentrations of Olufsons are found in London and Lancashire, although there are scattered people with this surname throughout the United Kingdom.

The name Olufson is derived from two Norse elements, the personal names Olaf and Einarr, which mean “ancestor’s shrine” and “sole heir” respectively. It can also be associated with the Olavi family line which is documented in Norse and Scandinavian records. Thus, the last name Olufson connotes a connection to a well-known, noble Scandinavian line.

Variations of the surname Olufson

The surname Olufson is of Scandinavian origin, derived from the given name Oluf, which is a Danish and Swedish form of Olaf.

Variants of the surname Olufson include Olufsen, Olesen, Olsen, Olsen, Olsson, Olszak, and Olovson. Of these variants, Olufen is the most common form in Scandinavia today.

In addition to these variants, there are many other spellings and surnames of the same origin that may be found throughout the world. These include Ölvefeldt, Ölvendahl, Ölvöfsson, Ulvson, Ulfson, Ulvivaldh, Ulaafson, Uladson, and Ullason.

The English variant of Olufson is Oliphant, which was first recorded in England in 1204. Other variants in English include Alfson, Elafson, Elfson, Olston, Ollet, Ollens, Ollenshaw, and Olmstead.

In hispanic countries the surname Olufson is often rendered as Ollafsen or Ollafsson, while in German-speaking countries it is often spelled Ahlfson.

In addition to this, Olufson appears as a patronymic or as a toponymic (based on a geographic place name) in many countries, such as Uffson in the Netherlands, Ullazzon in Portugal, Ulafsson in Iceland, Alloffson in Finland, Olifard in Germany, Alafonso in Spain, and Olfson in the United States.

Famous people with the name Olufson

• Nils Olufson, a noted photographer and visual artist
• Volmer Olufson, a reputed industrialist from Norway
• Fredrik Olufson, a professional photographer and filmmaker from Sweden
• Magnus Olufson, a winner of the choreographer award at the National Arts Awards
• Bretislav Olufson, a renowned modernist architect from the Czech Republic
• Bjorn Olufson, a renowned painter from Norway
• Oluf Grünfeld, a renowned folklorist who collected over 15 volumes of folk tales
• Jan Olufson, a noted Danish poet and writer
• Theodor Olufsen, a Norwegian-born writer and director of numerous films
• Aage Olufson, a noted violinist and composer from Denmark

Other surnames

Olufsen