Surname Eiriksson - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'E'
Eiriksson: What does the surname Eiriksson mean?
The last name Eiriksson is of Old Norse origin and it literally means "son of Erik." This is a patronymic surname, a tradition which is commonly found in Scandinavian countries where the father's first name is used to create the child's last name. In this case, the suffix "-sson" indicates "son of," while "Eirik" is a variant of the Scandinavian first name Erik. So, anyone bearing the surname Eiriksson is traditionally understood to be the son of a man named Erik. Erik itself is a strong name of Old Norse origin meaning "eternal ruler" or "ever powerful." This tradition of using patronymic names is less common today, but remains a significant element of Scandinavian heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisEiriksson: Where does the name Eiriksson come from?
The last name Eiriksson is of Nordic origin, specifically from Iceland and Norway. It is a patronymic name, following the tradition of Nordic countries where the surname indicates the person's parentage. "Eiriksson" translates to "son of Eirik."
Eiriksson is not as common today as it was in the past due to changes in naming traditions. However, it is still prevalent in Iceland where the tradition of using patronymic or matronymic surnames (formed from the father's or mother's name, respectively) persists. So, each generation would typically have a different last name in Iceland.
Other countries, such as Norway, have largely abandoned this naming system in favor of family names that get passed down through generations. Thus, the name is less common in Norway today, compared to Iceland. Nonetheless, you may still find individuals with the last name Eiriksson in communities of Nordic descent, including Scandinavia, parts of the UK, and in immigrant populations in North America. Still, compared to other patronymic surnames like "Johansson" or "Andersson", Eiriksson is less commonly seen.
Variations of the surname Eiriksson
The surname Eiriksson is of Old Norse origin, meaning "son of Erik". Its variants and similar spellings can be influenced by regional variations, phonetics, or even translations into other languages. These can include Erikson, Eriksson, Ericson, Erickson, Ericsson, and Erichson. Similar surnames of Scandinavian origin could include Eriksen, Erikssen, Erikksen, or Eriksonen.
The surname Eiriksson itself is a patronymic and variations can also occur due to the different spellings of the father's name that it derives from - in this case, Erik. Therefore, surnames such as Ericsson (son of Eric) or Erichson (son of Erich) would be considered as similar variants.
As Icelandic names follow a different naming system where an individual’s surname indicates the first name of their father, other surnames that follow this pattern, like Magnusson, Johanneson, or Arnarsson, can also be considered of the same origin. However, they are only similar in naming convention, not in genealogical lineage.
Moreover, some families might have changed or adapted their names to fit in with local cultures or languages, especially in English-speaking countries. This is why it's common to see the name spelled Erickson or Erikson in places like the United States.
Famous people with the name Eiriksson
- Heiðar Eiriksson: Icelandic former defender footballer who represented the Iceland men’s national team between 1995 and 2006.
- Artúr Eiriksson: Iceland professional basketball player who is currently playing for the CU Biarritz Basket of the Charente-Maritime Basketball League in France.
- Sveinbjörn Eiriksson: Icelandic former professional footballer who played in the Icelandic top flight for seven seasons.
- Ágúst Eiriksson: Icelandic former football striker who spent most of his career in Germany and played an important role in helping Koblenz qualify for the Bundesliga in 1976-77.
- Ásgeir Eiriksson: multimedia artist based in Iceland who is best known for his unique and unusual paintings.
- Jakob Eiriksson: Icelandic sport shooter who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.
- Höddi Eiriksson: Icelandic former professional footballer who played for clubs like Breiðablik, KR, Stjarnan and IFK Göteborg of Sweden.
- Karl M. Eiriksson: former Governor of Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway, in office from 1997 to 2003.
- Egill Eiriksson: Icelandic author who has written books like ‘The Supreme Gift’ and ‘The Greenhouse’.
- Andrea Eiriksson: Icelandic professor in communication studies who has taught at the University of Akureyri and the University of Iceland.