Knudson
A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Knud,” a traditional given name related to Canute.
The #4,841 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,422 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Knudson is a patronymic surname built from the personal name Knud, plus the Scandinavian suffix -son, meaning “son of.” The given name Knud goes back to Old Norse Knútr, a word meaning “knot,” which was used as a nickname and later as a personal name. In English-language records, the surname is most often linked to Danish and Norwegian naming traditions.
History
The surname became hereditary as Scandinavian patronymic naming systems fixed family names over time, especially after migration to North America. It is most common in the United States among families of Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish ancestry. Related forms such as Knutson and Knudsen are also widely found.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Knud is the Scandinavian form of the name better known in English as Canute, the name of medieval kings of England and Denmark.