Herkunft & Geschichte

Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Gustaf', from the Old Norse 'Gautr' (Geat, the ancient Germanic tribe of southern Sweden) combined with 'stafr' (staff, pillar), yielding the approximate meaning 'staff of the Geats' or 'Geatish support'. The name was popularised by Gustaf Vasa (1496–1560), who liberated Sweden from Danish rule and founded the Vasa dynasty, making Gustaf a patriotic name. Multiple Swedish kings have borne the name, cementing Gustafsson as a distinctively Swedish patronymic of high historical prestige.