Erikson is a common Scandinavian patronymic

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

meaning "son of Erik", itself an

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. There are other spelling variations of this surname, as it is common amongst

Danes Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard t ...

Swedes Swedes ( sv, svenskar) are a North Germanic ethnic group native to the Nordic region, primarily their nation state of Sweden, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countr ...

Norwegians Norwegians ( no, nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegians are descended from the N ...

, and

Finns Finns or Finnish people ( fi, suomalaiset, ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland. Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these ...

. Erikson is uncommon as a

. People with the surname include: * Duke Erikson (born 1953), American musician with the band Garbage *

Erik Erikson Erik Homburger Erikson (born Erik Salomonsen; 15 June 1902 – 12 May 1994) was a German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychological development of human beings. He coined the phrase identity cr ...

(1902–1994), Jewish German (but a Danish citizen) developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst *

Gustaf Erikson Gustaf Adolf Mauritz Erikson (1872, Lemland – 1947) was a ship-owner from Mariehamn, in the Åland islands. He was famous for the fleet of windjammers he operated to the end of his life, mainly on the grain trade from Australia to Europe. Eri ...

(1872–1947), Finnish ship owner *

Joan Erikson Joan Mowat Erikson (born Sarah Lucretia Serson; June 27, 1903 – August 3, 1997) was well known as the collaborator with her husband, Erik Erikson, and as an author, educator, craftsperson, and dance ethnographer."Joan Erikson, Life Cycles Theor ...

(1903–1997), Canadian psychologist * Johan Erikson (born 1985), Swedish ski jumper *

Jon Erikson Jon Erikson (September 6, 1954 – July 28, 2014) was an American long distance swimmer who was the first of only three people to have ever completed a three way swim of the English Channel. A physical education teacher at the time, he completed t ...

(born 1955), American long distance swimmer *

Kai T. Erikson Kai Theodor Erikson (born February 12, 1931) is an Austrian-born American sociologist, noted as an authority on the social consequences of catastrophic events. He served as the 76th president of the American Sociological Association. Life and c ...

(born 1931), American sociologist *

Leif Erikson Leif Erikson, Leiv Eiriksson, or Leif Ericson, ; Modern Icelandic: ; Norwegian: ''Leiv Eiriksson'' also known as Leif the Lucky (), was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to have set foot on continental North ...

(c. 970 – c. 1020), Norse explorer, son of Erik the Red, and first European to reach the Americas *

Neil Erikson Neil Erikson is an Australian far-right extremist and self-proclaimed neo-Nazi. Erikson gained attention after posting a video of himself verbally abusing Iranian peoples, Iranian-born former Australian Labor Party, Labor senator Sam Dasty ...

(born 1985), Australian extreme neo-Nazi activist * Raymond L. Erikson (1936–2020), American molecular biologist and virologist *

Sheldon Erikson Sheldon Erikson (born September 23, 1941) is a Supervisory Director for Frank's International, NV, a Dutch based oilfield services firm with operational headquarters in Houston. He is Chairman of the Board (since May 2, 1996) and was President and ...

, American, Chairman of the Board, President, CEO of Cameron *

Steven Erikson Steve Rune Lundin (born October 7, 1959), known by his pseudonym Steven Erikson, is a Canadian novelist who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist. He is best known for his ten-volume spanning epic fantasy series ...

(born 1959), pseudonym of ''Steve Rune Lundin'', Canadian novelist * Thorvald Erikson or Thorvald Eiriksson (died 1004), Greenlandic Norse explorer, son of Erik the Red, brother to Leif Erikson *

Tom Erikson Tom Erikson (born July 6, 1964) is an American former amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist who competed in the super heavyweight division. Weighing between and throughout his career, "The Big Cat" began wrestling at an early age and was t ...

(born 1964), American mixed martial arts fighter

References

{{surname, Erikson Patronymic surnames Surnames from given names

See also

References