Josephson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Joseph.”
The #9,100 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 86,002 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Josephson is a patronymic surname built from the given name Joseph plus the suffix -son, meaning “son of.” The name Joseph comes from the Hebrew name Yosef, traditionally understood as “may he add” or “he will add.” In Scandinavian and English usage, Josephson therefore literally means “son of Joseph.”
History
The surname is especially at home in Scandinavian naming patterns, where -son surnames were common and later became fixed hereditary family names. It also appears in English-speaking countries, often brought by immigrants or adopted from earlier Scandinavian or patronymic forms. Historical surname lists from the 19th century record Josephson alongside related forms such as Josepher and Joseph.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same biblical given name produced many family names across Europe, including Josephson, Josephs, and Giuseppe-related forms in other languages.
From the historical record
“lat. Josephi. Patr. A. Josepher. Patr. Zss. Josephson. Verküi-zt im Anlaut: Sepp (südd.). Jost s. a) Jodocus b) Justus. Jowien s. God (V.). Jachem s. Joachim.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen