Discover people named Maria Gustafssdotter

The last name Gustafssdotter is of Swedish origin, derived from the patronymic naming tradition common in Scandinavia, where surnames are often formed by combining the father's name with a suffix indicating "daughter" or "son." In this case, "Gustaf" refers to the given name Gustav, which has roots in Old Norse, meaning "staff of the Goths" or "Goth's staff," while "ssdotter" translates to "daughter of." This surname would have originally been used to denote a female descendant of someone named Gustav, reflecting familial lineage and heritage. Geographically, it is primarily found in Sweden and among Swedish communities worldwide. Variations of the name may include Gustafsdotter or Gustafsson, the latter being a common patronymic surname for males, meaning "son of Gustaf." The use of such surnames highlights the importance of ancestry and familial connections in Swedish culture, with the naming conventions providing insight into the social structure and lineage of individuals in historical contexts.