Surname Otteson - Meaning and Origin

Otteson: What does the surname Otteson mean?

The surname Otteson is of Scandinavian origin, primarily Norwegian, and is patronymic in nature. A patronymic name is based on the name of a male ancestor, usually the father, with a suffix denoting "son" or "descendant". In this case, "Otteson" would mean "son of Otte". Otte is a personal first name used in Scandinavian countries, which itself is derived from Old Norse and Germanic names like "Oddr" or "Otto". The meaning of these names is related to wealth or prosperity. So, in comprehensive terms, the name Otteson can be loosely understood as "son of the prosperous one" or "son of the wealthy one". It is worth noting that due to variations in spelling over centuries and across countries, the surname can be found in several forms such as Ottosen, Ottesen, Ottoson, and others.

Otteson: Where does the name Otteson come from?

The last name Otteson is quite common today, particularly in Norway, Sweden and Alaska. In Norway, it is particularly associated with the city of Oslo. In recent years, the Otteson family has been growing in popularity in Canada, particularly in the province of British Columbia where its ranks increased by 33 percent between 2016 and 2017 alone.

Tracing Otteson ancestry further back through its roots in the Scandinavian countries, it is evident that the surname is most often found in the northern part of the United Kingdom. In Scotland, it is most commonly found in Aberdeenshire, with some families also found in the eastern shore.

Outside of the United Kingdom, the family appears to be most common in the United States. In the 18th Century, the Otteson family emigrated to America from Europe, initially settling in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York. In the early 19th Century, they began to move further west, eventually settling in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota.

Today, many Otteson families can still be found in the United States, especially in those states where their ancestors originally settled. Members of the Otteson family can also be found in countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Otteson

The surname Otteson is of Norse origin, derived from the given name Oda which means "wealth". Variants of the surname Otteson can be spelled Odson, Odsson, Odeson, Odesen, and Odishon.

Other surnames with the same origin include Ott, Otten, Ottens, Otor, Otter, Otte, Ottes, Ottenssen, Ottenston, Ottenson, Ottenstein, Ottersen, Otten, Otero, Otersen, Otersson, Osterberg, and Oesterle.

The form Odsen can also be found, which is a Scandinavian form of the patronymic surname meaning "son of Oda". This form is also seen as Odson or Odssen.

In the United States specifically, the form Odson is more likely to be found than any of the other variants, due to early pioneers having the surname spelled this way. The surname is most likely to be found in the Midwest, Wisconsin, and Illinois being the most common states, though the surname may be found in other states too.

Otteson is another spelling variant. It is derived from Old Norse Óttarr which is related to the given name Oda. The surname is common in Scandinavian countries, mainly in Norway, but can also be found in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and other Scandinavian countries.

The suffix -son is clear evidence that the surname shears a patronymic origin, meaning it was passed down from a paternal ancestor whose given name was Oda.

Famous people with the name Otteson

• Jenny Otteson: American game designer, a lead designer of the game Magic: The Gathering
• Rune Otteson: Norwegian jazz musician
• Jacob Otteson: Swiss curler
• Andreas Otteson: Swedish sports journalist
• Carl Otteson: American movie producer and director
• Matthew Otteson: American soccer player
• Ingvald Otteson: Norwegian economist
• Kim Otteson: American actor
• Einar Otteson: Norwegian violinist
• Reidar Otteson: Norwegian bishop

Other surnames

OttesOttesen