Traditional, Common, and Rare Swedish Last Names

Patronymics was the traditional naming practice in Sweden prior to 1901. Swedish last names typically reflected a father’s given or first name, so they would change, generation to generation. For example, if a man named Nils had a son, his last name would be Nilsson, meaning son of Nils. If that child’s given name was Lars, his son would carry the last name of Larsson.

Although daughters were sometimes named using the -son suffix, occasionally -dotter was used for gender distinction. For example, if Nils had a daughter, she might have the surname Nilsdotter.

Using patronymic surnames is a great way to trace your family history, especially if you’re looking for ancestors who lived before the 1900s, because a person’s last name helps direct you to the first name of their father. In 1901, however, Sweden passed the Names Act, which encouraged all citizens thereafter to adopt hereditary, rather than patronymic, surnames.

What Are the Meanings of These Rare Swedish Surnames?

A lot of Swedish last names and meanings, beyond those ending in “son,” come from nature and words associated with the outdoors. Common examples are:

• Ström – River
• Berg – Mountain
• Lind – Linden (type of tree/plant)
• Lund – Grove or small forest
• Gren – Branch

The origins of these surnames may be indicative of the location a family lived. Families with the surname “Lundberg” for example, likely had ancestors who lived in a forest by a mountain.

What Are Americanized Swedish Last Names?

Americans of Swedish descent who are starting the journey of tracing their heritage may find it useful to know what Americanized Swedish last names look like. Understanding how Swedish names look in an Americanized form can help you locate relatives based on immigration records, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and obituaries.

In many cases, Swedish immigrants arriving in America chose to take on Americanized spellings of their names based on differences in English and Swedish pronunciation. For example, the Swedish name Hvitfeldt commonly became Whitefield or Whitfield.

Other American surnames that could reflect Swedish heritage are:

• Ackerson (from Åkesson)
• Akins (from Ek)
• Burke (from Björklund)
• Benson (from Bengtsson)
• Carlson (from Karlsson)
• Hawkins (from Håkansson)
• Johnson (from Jonasson)
• Olson (from Olofsson)
• Pearson (from Persson)
• Seaberg (from Sjöberg)

If you suspect you might have Scandinavian heritage, looking at the origins and meanings of your surname is one place to begin the task of tracing your roots.

Build Your Family Tree

Delving into your heritage is an exciting experience that lets you connect with your family’s past. It could also help uncover relatives you didn’t know you had. With a free trial of Ancestry^®, you can search for people who share your last name, find records and stories about your ancestors, and build your family tree!

Sources

• https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2016-12-15/sweden-new-law-regulating-names-adopted/
• https://scandification.com/swedish-surnames-common-swedish-last-names/
• https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1340&context=swensonsag
• https://www.routesnorth.com/language-and-culture/swedish-last-names-how-do-they-work/
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swedish_family_1898.jpg
• https://www.loc.gov/item/2022643817/
• https://www.flickr.com/photos/swedish_heritage_board/10975028495/