Scandinavian surnames are overwhelmingly patronymic: the ending -sson (Swedish), -sen (Danish/Norwegian) means “son of.” Andersson is “son of Anders,” Hansen “son of Hans.” A handful of these — Andersson, Johansson, Karlsson — cover a large share of Swedes.

Ornamental nature names

A distinctive second group are ornamental names, often coined in the 1800s by combining pretty nature words: Lindberg (“linden mountain”), Bergström (“mountain stream”), Lindgren (“linden branch”).

Frequently asked questions

What does -sson mean in Swedish surnames?

It means u201cson ofu201d u2014 Andersson is u201cson of Anders.u201d The Danish and Norwegian equivalent is -sen.

What is the most common Swedish surname?

Andersson, meaning u201cson of Anders (Andrew),u201d is among the most common.

What are ornamental Scandinavian surnames?

Names coined from combined nature words, like Lindberg (u201clinden mountainu201d) and Bergstru00f6m (u201cmountain streamu201d), popular from the 19th century.

All last names A–Z