Meaning & History
Johnsson is a common Swedish surname meaning "son of John."
The name follows the typical Scandinavian patronymic naming tradition, where surnames were formed by adding -son (son) to the father's given name. In Sweden, surnames ending in -sson are among the most frequent, reflecting the historical practice of identifying individuals by their paternal lineage.
The root name John, from which Johnsson derives, has deep biblical and historical roots. John itself originated from the Hebrew name Yoḥanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious," and became widespread across Europe due to the popularity of various saints and notable bearers, including John the Baptist and the Apostle John. Over centuries, the name John produced numerous derivative surnames, including Johansson, Johnson, and the Swedish variant Johnsson.
Notable individuals with the surname Johnsson include:
- Andreas Johnsson, Swedish ice hockey player
- Christofer Johnsson, Swedish heavy metal musician
- Kim Johnsson, Swedish ice hockey player
- William G. Johnsson, former editor of the Adventist Review
- Peter Johnsson (born 1962), Swedish politician
- Sonja Johnsson, Swedish swimmer
- Helén Johnsson (born 1976), Swedish ten-pin bowler
Related Surnames
Related patronymic forms of John in other languages include the Armenian Hovanesian and Hovhannisyan, Belarusian Ivanyou and Ivanow, and Russian Ivanov/Ivanova. The Swedish form Johnson also exists.
- Meaning: Son of John
- Origin: Swedish
- Type: Patronymic surname
- Common in: Sweden, other Scandinavian countries
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Johnsson