Surname Swensson - Meaning and Origin
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Swensson: What does the surname Swensson mean?
The last name Swensson is of Swedish origin and it essentially means "son of Sven". In Sweden's traditional naming practice, surnames were generally created by using the father's first name with the suffix "-son" for a male child and "-dotter" for a female child. Hence, a person with the last name 'Swensson' was identified as the son of a man named Sven. The name Sven itself is derived from the Old Norse name Sveinn, meaning 'boy' or 'servant.' Therefore, Swensson could also indirectly imply 'servant's son'. Throughout time and due to immigration and anglicisation, the spelling may have varied, with some common versions including Svensson, Svennson, and Swenson.
Order DNA origin analysisSwensson: Where does the name Swensson come from?
The last name Swensson is most commonly found in Sweden today. It is a patronymic surname, which means it originally referred to the ancestor of the person bearing the name.
Swedish surnames are a combination of patronymic and toponymy. Toponymy refers to the origin of a person by their place of residence. The suffix son, added to a place name, gives a sense of locality. Swensen can be the common form of a patronymic.
Swedish patronymic surnames are formed by adding an –son to the end of the father’s given name. Therefore, a person named Ander whose father was named Sven could be referred to as Ander Svenson, and his son could be known as the Swensson family.
Swensson is also frequently seen among the Norwegian population. As with the Swedish language, a person's last name may have been derived from their family's place of origin. When used with a given name, such as the Norwegian Jens, the result is Jensen. From the latter example, another common form of the surname, Swensen, might be derived.
Swensson is an ancient name with many variations, which has spread to many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Germany. It would appear that the form of the name as seen today, Swensson, is most common in Sweden and Norway.
Variations of the surname Swensson
The surname "Swensson" is a patronymic patronymic surname derived from the given name "Sven". Variations of this surname include "Swensen," "Svensøn," "Swanson" and "Svanson."
The earliest form of the "Swenson" surname appears in 12th century Sweden in the form of "Svenon" or "Svennilsson." The surnames "Svenon" and "Svensson" evolved from this form. Variations such as "Svesson," "Svensøn," and "Svanson" grew out of them.
The prefix "Swen" is derived from Old Norse "Sveinn," and is found in a number of old Swedish surnames, including "Swenman," "Sweder," and "Sweny." Variations of "Swen" are seen today in "Svensen" and "Svenson," as well as the Swedish variants "Svärdson," "Svånson," and "Svensson."
Surnames with a "Swen" prefix can be found in a variety of countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, England, Norway, Ireland, Australia and the United States. The most common spelling in these countries is "Swenson," followed closely by "Swanson."
Swensson is also an alternative spelling for the surnames "Swenson," "Swanson," and "Svenson." In several Scandinavian countries, the spelling "Swensson" is often used for the surname "Swenson," due to both countries using a different alphabet.
In Germany, the surname "Schwens" is an alternative spelling of "Swensson." This version comes from the Old High German root "Swinen," which means "of the swine," and was used as a personal nickname.
In France, the surname "Léöns" can be traced back to the personal name "Leef" and is an alternative to "Swensson." This surname is also related to the French root "Lion," which means "a lion," and is a common surname in French-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Swensson
- Abbei Swensson: Swedish TV presenter and journalist
- Anna Swensson: Swedish actress
- Caja Swensson: Swedish entrepreneur
- David Swensson: American folk singer
- Evert Swensson: Swedish writer
- Fred Swensson: American ice hockey player
- Halvar Swensson: Swedish politician
- Ingrid Swensson: Swedish filmmaker
- Jens Swensson: Swedish sailor
- Karl-Gustav Swensson: Swedish comedian
- Lisa Swensson: Swedish diver and Olympic medalist
- Magnhild Swensson: Swedish architect
- Niklas Swensson: Swedish sports photographer
- Olof Swensson: Swedish composer
- Per-Olof Swensson: Swedish modern pentathlete
- Robert Swensson: Swedish actor and playwright
- Sofia Swensson: Swedish fashion designer
- Torsten Swensson: Swedish philosopher
- Ulla Swensson: Swedish rower and Olympic medalist
- Vilhelm Swensson: Swedish poet