Pederson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Peder,” with Peder being a Scandinavian form of Peter.
The #2,520 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,485 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Pederson is a patronymic surname built from the given name Peder plus -son, meaning “son of Peder.” Peder is a Scandinavian form of Peter, ultimately from Greek Petros, “rock” or “stone.” The surname therefore began as an identifying label for a man descended from, or associated with, someone named Peder.
History
The name is common in Scandinavian naming traditions and was carried abroad by migration, especially to North America. In English-speaking records it is often found alongside or in place of other spellings such as Pedersen, Peterson, and Pierson, reflecting both local spelling habits and the older patronymic system. In the United States it remains a relatively uncommon but established surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Scandinavia, -sen surnames like Pederson were originally patronymics, not fixed family names, and only later became hereditary surnames.
From the historical record
“Durch Zusammenziehung aus urspr. Pederson: Person; Pierson — entstellt Per söhn. Anderweitige Zss. : Kleinpeter, Orofs- peier (franz. Grandpierre). Graupeter, Langpeter, — Petermeyer, Petermichl,”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen