Surname Gunnarsson - Meaning and Origin
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Gunnarsson: What does the surname Gunnarsson mean?
The surname Gunnarsson is an Old Norse patronymic name derived from the personal name Gunnarr, and is composed of two elements. The first element is Gunnar, related to the Old Norse Gunnar, which itself comes from from the Proto-Germanic *Gunnā-, meaning “battle” and “warrior”. The second element is -son, which is an Old Norse patronymic suffix, meaning “son of.” Therefore, Gunnarsson roughly translates to “son of Gunnar” — the son of a warrior.
Gunnarsson is a fairly common Swedish and Icelandic surname, most of which are of Scandinavian origin. It is likely derived from Scandinavians who migrated to other parts of Europe, particularly in the 12th century. During this time, Scandinavian warriors and conquerors known as Vikings set out to explore, settle, and conquer lands that were often hostile to foreign invaders. With the adoption of Christianity by the Scandinavian people, many Norse surnames were adapted to form patronymic surnames.
The Gunnarsson family crest is comprised of an arm emerging from a cloud, clutching a scimitar, also known as a falchion. This crest may represent the strength and warriorship of the Gunnarssons, symbolizing their connection to the Viking clan.
Today, the surname Gunnarsson is found primarily in Sweden and Iceland. It is now in use as a given name all over the world. People with the surname Gunnarsson are often found in positions of strength and leadership, perhaps paying tribute to the Gunnarssons of long ago.
Order DNA origin analysisGunnarsson: Where does the name Gunnarsson come from?
The last name Gunnarsson is a patronymic Scandinavian surname, derived from the given name Gunnar. Gunnar is a Old Norse masculine given name, meaning "war," or "fighter." It is still a popular name in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and remains common throughout Scandinavia today.
The last name Gunnarsson is also widespread in Iceland, a country of just under 400,000 people. This is largely because Iceland is the only country to still use the patronymic naming system in Europe, meaning that children take on their father's first name as their last name. As Gunnar is a common name in Iceland, the last name Gunnarsson is correspondingly common.
In the United States, Gunnarsson is a much less frequent last name, with around 2,000 people having the name in 2000, according to the United States Census Bureau. However, the last name is slowly becoming more prevalent, as genealogists continue to research their Scandinavian heritage and adopt the Scandinavian naming system.
The name "Gunnarsson" can also be found in other Scandinavian countries, or in countries with Scandinavian communities. For example, in Finland it may sometimes appear as "Gunnarsoo," or in Germany as "Gunnarssen." The last name may also appear in countries that received emigrants from Scandinavia, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Gunnarsson
Gunnarsson is a patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, derived from the given name Gunnar, which in turn derived from the Old Norse given name Gunnarr. The name is composed of two elements, the first element gunn, which means “battle” and the second element arr, which means “warrior”.
The most common variant of the surname Gunnarsson is Gunnarson. It may also be spelled Gunnarssen, Gunnarssonne, Gunnarsdottir, Gunnarsonne, and Gunnarrsdottir. Surnames of similar origin include Gunn, Gunnarson, Gunnars, Gunne, Gunnil, Gunnild, Gunnildr, Gunnlaugr, Gunnlaugsdottir, Gunnolf, Gunnolfr, and Gunnsteinn.
Gunnarsson is also a common Icelandic variant, and in this case it is sometimes spelled Gunnarsdottir or Gunnarrson. The Icelandic for Gunnar is Gýnarr, and its variants are Gýnarsdottir, Gýnarrson, Gýnarson, and Gýnarlaugsdottir.
Gunnarlson is a Norwegian variant of the surname, and it may also be spelled Gunnarls, Gunnarlssen, Gunnarlssene, Gunnarsonne, and Gunnarrdottir. The Swedish for Gunnar is Gustafson, and its variants are Gustafs, Gustafssen, Gustafssonne, and Gustaffsdottir.
In the Netherlands, the surname Gunnarsonne is particularly common. It may also be spelled as Gunnarsen and Gunnarssen. It is also occasionally encountered in North America, where its most common variant is Gunnar or Gunnarsen.
The surname of Gunnar is also found in Scotland, where it is commonly spelled Gunning, Gunnison, or Gunnis. In France it may be spelled Gunnars and in Italy it may be spelled Gunneri.
Famous people with the name Gunnarsson
- Mikael Gunnarsson: Mikael Gunnarsson is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey right winger. He won the Le Mat Trophy in 2003.
- Emma Gunnarsson: Emma Gunnarsson is a Swedish figure skater. She has won medals from World and European Championships, as well as various international competitions.
- Jonas Gunnarsson: Jonas Gunnarsson is a Swedish handball player. He has played for clubs in the Swedish and Danish leagues and was awarded the Guldbollen in 2004.
- Alrik Gunnarsson: Alrik Gunnarsson is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Dutch team Willem II.
- Oskar Gunnarsson: Oskar Gunnarsson is a Swedish composer and music producer who is best known for his work with the electronic music band Savage.
- Jokull Gunnarsson: Jokull Gunnarsson is an Icelandic handball goalkeeper who plays for the Icelandic club FH Hafnarfjordur.
- Moa Gunnarsson: Moa Gunnarsson is a Swedish alpine skier. She has achieved two World Cup victories and has represented Sweden at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
- Paul Gunnarsson: Paul Gunnarsson is a Swedish orienteering competitor. He has won medals in the World and European Orienteering Championships.
- Leif Gunnarsson: Leif Gunnarsson is a Norwegian diplomat who served as the ambassador to Switzerland. He has also served as an ambassador to Italy and The Netherlands.
- Andres Gunnarsson: Andres Gunnarsson is an Icelandic singer and songwriter. He released his first album in 2005 and has since released five more albums.