Surname Pehrson - Meaning and Origin

Pehrson: What does the surname Pehrson mean?

The last name Pehrson is of Scandinavian origin and is derived from the first name Per (the Scandinavian form of Peter) and the suffix 'son', meaning son of. So, the surname Pehrson essentially means "son of Per" or "son of Peter". The name Peter comes from the Greek name Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone". It became popular thanks to St. Peter, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ in Christian tradition. The use of surnames which indicated the father's name was a common practice in Scandinavian cultures, and the name Pehrson is an example of this. In this tradition, for instance, a man named Per who had a son called Johan would have a son known as 'Johan Pehrson', implying 'Johan, the son of Per'. Based on location and regional variations, the surname might be spelled differently, such as Pedersen, Petersen, Peterson, or Pettersson. All of these spellings retain their essential meaning: "son of Peter".

Pehrson: Where does the name Pehrson come from?

The last name “Pehrson” is of Scandinavia origin and is especially popular in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark today. It is most commonly seen in regions of Scandinavia that have been historically under Danish and Norwegian influence, including parts of northern Germany and Finland. In Sweden, Pehrson is the 15th most common surname, with about 8,600 people bearing the name. Around 5,600 people use the surname in Norway and 800 in Finland peak into the family tree.

The name can be seen throughout the Americas today, due to a large wave of Scandinavian immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the United States, the name is common in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. People with the last name Pehrson can be found in all U.S. states, with the highest concentration in California and Minnesota. The name also has a presence in Latin America, particularly in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico. In many Latin American countries, the spelling of the name has been phonetically adapted and transformed, creating variations such as Pirson, Peirsson, Peruson, Piersson, etc.

When researching family history, those with a common name like Pehrson might want to look a bit deeper into the family tree. In some cases, the name may have been changed to better fit the local language, culture, or dialect, and some old records may still exist.

Overall, the last name Pehrson is a relatively common name today and is especially popular among Scandinavian countries and in the Americas as a result of the Scandinavian diaspora.

Variations of the surname Pehrson

The surname Pehrson is a patronymic name derived from the Swedish given personal name of Peter, and has variants in a number of languages, and countries. In Sweden, the surname has alternative spellings: Perrson, Peterson, Pehrssen, Peresson, Pederson, and Persson. Common variants of the name are found in the United States and United Kingdom, where the name may appear as Peterson, Pearson, Pierson, Pietsch, Petersen, Pedersen, and Person. In other Slavic countries, former East Germany, Czech Republic and some parts of western Russia, the surname may appear as Pfirsch, Pietzsch, Peterzsch, Petersch, Pietsch, Pfersch, and Pferschel. In some Scandinavian countries like Norway, Denmark, and Finland, variants are Pedersen, Pedieden, Pederseon, Pedersdotter, Pedersson, Pedersdatter and Pettersen.

In Germany, variations of the surname are Pfeiffer, Pfeiffenberger, Pieffenberger, Piefferbergen, and Pfeifenberger. In Austria-Hungary, the surname appears commonly as Pfister, Piët, Pfeister, Pfeistermeier, Pfeistermayer, Pfieffer, and Pfirrman. In France, it can be found as Peyron, Pierron, Lapeyronie, and Lepetron. In Italy, the variants are Peirone, Pierron, Peironelli, and Peronne. In the Netherlands, the surname appears as Pieper, Peterse, Piepers, Pietersz, Pietersberg, and Petrusse.

The numerous variants of the name Pehrson demonstrate the complexity and global migration of the Scandinavian forefathers from which it emerged. The various spellings and surnames attest to the highly diasporic and multilingual context of European settlement, illustrating how surnames can evolve and adapt to different regions over time.

Famous people with the name Pehrson

• Matthew Pehrson: Actor, writer and model best known for his recurring role as 'Craig Bean' in the series The Fosters.
• Malin Pehrson: Singer and songwriter from Sweden.
• Helge Pehrson: Former Swedish ice hockey goaltender who played 10 seasons with Djurgårdens IF Hockey in the Swedish Elite League.
• Anders Pehrson: Former professional Swedish footballer who played as a defender for AIK and the Swedish national team.
• Sabina Pehrson: Swedish visual artist who has exhibited worldwide and been the recipient of numerous awards.
• Seraphina Pehrson: Model and fashion influencer on Instagram.
• Deanna Pehrson: Jazz/pop singer, songwriter and music therapist.
• Per Pehrson: Director of operations at the Maersk Global Services Centre in Copenhagen.
• Tony Pehrson: Former professional American football player who played nine seasons in the NFL as a linebacker.
• Dave Pehrson: Former professional basketball player who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.

Other surnames

Pehrsson