Your last name can tell you a lot about your family history if you’re Swedish; it can provide a hint of where you’re from, what type of work your ancestors did, and what social class they belonged to. As an example, if your American family name is Johnston, it was likely Johansson when your ancestors arrived in the US from Sweden, and there is a high probability that they came from western Sweden and worked as farmers.
Similarly, if your last name is Nelson it was likely Nilsson in Sweden, which meant that they were more likely farmers from southern Sweden.
Learn more examples like this and everything else you need to know about Swedish last names in this compilation of the most popular Swedish last names today, their origins, meanings, and any American versions of the name. I’ve also included examples of different types of last names, along with which regions they were statistically associated with.
We’ll start by taking a look at what the most common last names in Sweden are today, as well as what their American versions are for those of you trying to find out more about your Swedish roots.
The Most Common Swedish Last Names (Family Names) in 2024
Last Name | # | Origin, Meaning | Americanized |
---|---|---|---|
Andersson | 220 264 | Son of Anders | Anderson |
Johansson | 219 211 | Son of Johan | Johnson, Johnston, Jonzon |
Karlsson | 163 271 | Son of Karl | Carlson, Carson |
Nilsson | 150 616 | Son of Nils | Nelson |
Eriksson | 121 565 | Son of Erik | Erickson |
Larsson | 111 071 | Son of Lars | Larson, Lawson |
Olsson | 94 065 | Son of Olle | Olson |
Persson | 93 517 | Son of Per | Pearson, Parson |
Svensson | 88 013 | Son of Sven | Swanson, Swenson |
Gustafsson | 63 453 | Son of Gustaf | Gustafson |
Pettersson | 56 494 | Son of Petter | Peterson |
Jonsson | 50 579 | Son of Jon | Johnson, Jonhston, Jonzon, Jones |
Jansson | 43 197 | Son of Jan | Janson, Johnson, Johnston, Jonzon, Jones |
Hansson | 38 743 | Son of Hans | Hanson |
Bengtsson | 30 390 | Son of Bengt | Benson |
Carlsson | 29 724 | Son of Carl | Carlson |
Jรถnsson | 27 869 | Son of Jรถns | Johnson, Jones |
Lindberg | 26 628 | Linden Mountain | Lindberg |
Petersson | 25 846 | Son of Peter | Peterson |
Magnusson | 24 504 | Son of Magnus | Magnuson |
Lindstrรถm | 24 035 | Linden Stream | Lindstrom |
Gustavsson | 22 556 | Son of Gustav | Gustafson |
Olofsson | 22 174 | Son of Olof | Olson, Oleson |
Lindgren | 21 942 | Linden Branch | Lindgren |
Axelsson | 20 862 | Son of Axel | Axelson |
Bergstrรถm | 20 440 | Mountain River | Bergstrom |
Lundberg | 20 338 | Grove Mountain | Lundberg |
Lundgren | 19 697 | Grove Branch | Lundgren |
Berg | 19 588 | Mountain | Berg |
Jakobsson | 18 768 | Son of Jakob | Jackson, Jacobson |
Berglund | 18 441 | Mountain Grove | Berglund |
Sandberg | 17 206 | Sand Mountain | Sandberg |
Fredriksson | 16 852 | Son of Fredrik | Fredrikson |
Mattsson | 16 518 | Son of Mats | Mattson |
Ali | 16 443 | Arabic name that means high, exalted. | Ali |
Sjรถberg | 15 939 | Sea Mountain | Seaberg, Seaborg, Showberg |
Forsberg | 15 931 | Spring Mountain | Fosberg, Fosburg |
Henriksson | 15 706 | Son of Henrik | Henrikson, Hendrickson, Henrickson |
Lind | 15 415 | Linden, Limetree | Lind |
Lindqvist | 15 310 | Linden Branch | Lindqvist |
Engstrรถm | 15 117 | Meadow River | Engstrom |
Eklund | 14 654 | Oak Grove | Eklund, Ecklund |
Lundin | 14 599 | Of the Grove | Lundine |
Danielsson | 14 286 | Son of Daniel | Danielson |
Hรฅkansson | 13 913 | Son of Hรฅkan | Hakanson, Hokanson, Hackanson, Hawkins |
Bergman | 13 763 | Mountain Man | Bergman |
Holm | 13 658 | Island | Holm |
Gunnarsson | 13 637 | Son of Gunnar | Gunnarson, Gunderson |
Samuelsson | 13 152 | Son of Samuel | Samuelson |
Nystrรถm | 12 885 | New River | Nystrom |
Wallin | 12 863 | Of the Dyke | Wallin, Wahlin, Wallen |
Bjรถrk | 12 795 | Birch | Bjork, Burch |
Lundqvist | 12 752 | Grove Branch | Lundqvist |
Holmberg | 12 750 | Island Mountain | Holmberg |
Fransson | 12 692 | Son of Frans | Franson |
Johnsson | 12 397 | Son of John | Johnson, Jonhston, Jonzon, Jones |
Sรถderberg | 12 214 | Southern Mountain | Soderberg |
Nyberg | 12 212 | New Mountain | Nyberg, Newburg |
Ahmed | 12 123 | Arabic name that means ‘the grateful’ | Ahmed |
Arvidsson | 12 102 | Son of Arvid | Arvidson, Arwfedson, Arfedson |
Isaksson | 12 021 | Son of Isak | Isakson |
Nordstrรถm | 11 836 | Northern River | Nordstrom |
Lundstrรถm | 11 309 | Grove River | Lundstrom |
Mรฅrtensson | 11 269 | Son of Mรฅrten | Martenson |
Bjรถrklund | 11 043 | Birch Grove | Bjorklund, Bjork, Burke |
Berggren | 10 888 | Mountain Branch | Berggren, Bergren |
Eliasson | 10 886 | Son of Elias | Eliason |
Sandstrรถm | 10 602 | Sand River | Sandstrom |
Nordin | 10 434 | Of the North | Nordin |
Mohamed | 10 169 | Arabic name that means ‘the praiseworthy’ | Mohamed |
Strรถm | 10 098 | River | Strom |
Ekstrรถm | 10 030 | Oak River | Ekstrom, Eckstrom |
ร berg | 10 025 | River Mountain | Aberg, Aaberg, Oberg, Elberg |
Hermansson | 9 874 | Son of Herman | Hermanson |
Holmgren | 9 803 | Island Branch | Holmgren |
Hedlund | 9 611 | Heath Moor Grove | Hedlund |
Sundberg | 9 501 | Strait Mountain | Sundberg |
Sjรถgren | 9 443 | Lake Branch, Sea Branch | Sjogren, Seagren, Showgren |
Dahlberg | 9 285 | Valley Mountain | Dahlberg, Dolberg |
Hellstrรถm | 8 936 | Flat Rock River | Hellstrom |
รberg | 8 922 | Island Mountain | Oberg |
Martinsson | 8 880 | Son of Martin | Martenson |
Falk | 8 862 | Falcon | Falk |
Blom | 8 838 | Flower | Blom, Bloom |
Strรถmberg | 8 809 | River Mountain | Stromberg |
Ek | 8 807 | Oak | Akins, Ek |
Mรฅnsson | 8 698 | Son of Mรฅns | Monson |
Abrahamsson | 8 588 | Son of Abraham | Abrahamson, Abramson |
Blomqvist | 8 563 | Flower Branch | Blomqvist |
Lindholm | 8 519 | Linden Island | Lindholm |
Hassan | 8 474 | Arabic name that means ‘handsome’, ‘good’, or ‘benefactor’ | Hassan |
Norberg | 8 434 | Narrow Stream Mountain | Norberg |
ร kesson | 8 381 | Son of ร ke | Ackerson |
Sundstrรถm | 8 358 | Strait River | Sundstrom |
Dahl | 8 329 | Valley | Dahl |
Lรถfgren | 8 327 | Leaf Branch | Lofgren |
ร strรถm | 8 277 | Island River | Ostrom |
Ibrahim | 8 208 | Arabic name that means ‘friend of god’ | Ibrahim |
Sรถderstrรถm | 8 133 | Southern River | Soderstrom |
Jensen | 8 125 | Son of Jens | Jensen, Johnson, Johnston, Jones |
Jonasson | 8 123 | Son of Jonas | Johnson, Johnston, Jones |
View all the names by tapping “Show More”
Here is a visual representation of how proportionally common the most popular Swedish last names are:
Top 10 vs. Top 11-100:
Top 100 Swedish last names:
Origins of Swedish Last Names: A Brief History of Swedish Family Name Customs
Swedes of olden timesโgoing back to the Vikings and beyondโ used to introduce themselves by their first name, followed by their father’s name (to eradicate any doubt of whom exactly they were). Over time, we gradually started using hereditary family names instead, which were picked in different ways depending on when it was, who you were, and what class you belonged to.
The first sign of Hereditary last names in Sweden started around the 1600s among Swedish noble families, with the Swedish masses still changing last names from generation to generation up until the late 1800s (much like Icelanders do today), using paternal names based on the father’s name with the addition of -son or -dotter (son or daughter, e.g. Andersson).
Inspired by the customs of the noble families, patronymics ending on -son began to be passed on among the Swedish peasants toward the end of the 19th century, and took on the role of family names for the Swedish working classes. Fast-forward to today, and about 2.7 million swedes (around 25%) have a last name ending in -son.
Interestingly, the occurrence of paternal last names has gone down from 40% of the Swedish population in 1982, to 30% in 2012, and finally 25% in 2022.
The bourgeoisie class (today’s middle/upper middle class) also picked up on the trend of hereditary last names, and often choose to adopt nature-inspired names instead, such as Ek (“Oak”), Lindberg (“Linden mountain”), Lundqvist (“Meadow branch”).
This was also the preferred custom in northern Sweden among all classes, which has made it the most common style today, with 3.4 million Swedes (or around 35%) having a last name connected to nature.
It was also common at the time to pass on so-called “soldier names” as last names if you had served in the army, such as Skรถld (“Shield”), Svรคrd (“Sword”), Rask (“Fast”), and Modig (“Brave”), and if you were a priest or academic it was likely that you passed down a latin or greek-inspired name.
Let’s now look at what your last name can say about where in Sweden you’re from.
The Most Common Swedish Last Names For Each Region
According to data from SCB, Johansson is the most common last name in western and northern Sweden, Eriksson and Andersson in central Sweden, Karlsson in eastern Sweden, and Nilsson in southern Sweden.
It’s astonishing to see how clearly the popularity of last names is split among the different regions of Sweden, and could definitely give you a hint of where your family hails from in Sweden.
The Social Class of Last Names: 6 Different Types & Origins of Swedish Last Names
Most Swedish last names today fall into one of the following categories:
- Burgeouise/craft-related names (e.g. Lundqvist, Ek) – 35% of total names
- Patronymic names (e.g. Andersson, Svensson) – 25% of total names
- Noble family names (e.g. Gyllenstierna, Leionhufvud)
- Priestly or Academic names (often inspired by latin or greek)
- Soldier names (e.g. Stark, Modig)
- Foreign family names (historically mainly German)
Common Nature or Craft-related Family Names in Sweden
Last Name | American version | English translation |
---|---|---|
Lindberg | Lindbergh | “Lindenmount” |
Lindstrรถm | Lindstrom | “Lindenstream” |
Lindqvist | Lindqvist | “Lindentwig” |
Lindgren | Lindgreen | “Lindenbranch” |
Bergstrรถm | Bergstrom | “Mountainstream” |
Lundberg | Lundberg | “Meadowmount” |
Lundgren | Lundgreen | “Meadowbranch” |
Lundqvist | Lundqvist | “Meadowtwig” |
Berglund | Berglund | “Mountainmeadow” |
Sandberg | Sandberg | “Sandmountain” |
Hammarstrรถm | Hammarstrom | “Hammerstream” |
Jernberg | Jernberg | “Ironmountain” |
Blomberg | Bloomberg | “Flowermountain” |
Rotman | Rothman, Rodman | “Rootman” |
Common Noble Family Names in Sweden
Common Short Swedish Noble Family Names
- Brahe
- Tott
- Kagg
- Wrede
- Tessin
- Toll
- Sparre
- Hรฅrd
- Gedda
- Banรฉr
- Bildt
- Bonde
- Mรถrner
- Uggla
- Piper
- Ribbing
- Taube
- Wrangel
Common Compounded Swedish Noble Family Names
Last Name | English translation |
---|---|
Leijonhufvud | “Lionhead” |
Oxenstierna | “Oxhead” |
Stenbock | “Stoneram” |
Lindschรถld | “Lindenshield” |
Stรฅlarm | “Steelarm”” |
Gyllenborg | “Golden fortress” |
Wallenstedt | “Barricade place” |
Rehnskiรถld | “Cleanshield” |
Adelsvรคrd | “Noblesword” |
Ekeblad | “Oakenleaf” |
Ankarcrona | “Anchorcrown” |
Lillienstedt | “Lilyplace” |
Ankarsvรคrd | “Anchorsword” |
Armfelt | “Armfield” |
Bjรถrnstjerna | “Bearstar” |
Cronhielm | “Crownhelmet” |
Gripenskiรถld | “Griffinshield” |
Gyllenkrok | “Goldenhook” |
Gyllenstierna | “Goldenface” |
Hammarskjรถld | “Hammershield” |
Common “von” Names in Sweden
- von Essen
- von Bahr
- von Dรถbeln
- von Otter
- von Platen
- von Rosen
Common “af” Names in Sweden
- af Sรถderberg
- Boije af Gennรคs
- af Geijerstam
- af Klinteberg
- af Trolle
Common Swedish Noble Family Names of Foreign Origins
- Lewenhaupt
- De la Gardie
- Wachtmeister
- Creutz
- Cronstedt
- Fleetwood
- Hamilton
- Staรซl von Holstein
Common Clergical & Academic Last Names in Sweden
Common Swedish Priest Family Names
- Sundelius
- Johannis
- Caroli
- Laurentius
- Svedelius
- Moraeus
- Ulvaeus
Common Swedish Academic Last Names
- Eurenius
- Linnรฆus
- Fornelius
Common Soldier-type Family Names in Sweden
Last Name | English translation |
---|---|
Modig | Brave |
Svรคrd | Sword |
Sabel | Sabre |
Kling | Edge |
Glad | Happy |
Munter | Jolly |
Rolig | Funny |
Frisk | Healthy |
Hjelm | Helmet |
Lind | Linden |
Sources:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/451589
https://www.jamestownswedes.org/2020/05/swedish-american-surnames.html
https://www.scb.se/hitta-statistik/artiklar/2015/De-naturliga-efternamnen/
https://www.isof.se/lar-dig-mer/kunskapsbanker/lar-dig-mer-om-personnamn-i-sverige/efternamn
https://fof.se/artikel/2003/1/fran-lindberg-till-beachman/
Hi, my name is John Bankson, and my descendant was Anders Bengtsson, who arrived in the new world from Sweden around (see https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47840751/anders-bengtsson). The surname soon changed to Bankson as the English took control of that area (now Philadelphia). If fact, our surname didn’t even exist before him.
Kind regards,
John
Hello John!
Thanks for sharing your story, it’s much appreciated! I’ll be sure to add “Bankson” as an Americanized form of Bengtsson in the article.
-Karl