Karlsson is a

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...

surname meaning "son of Karl" or "Karl's son". It is one of the most common surnames in Sweden and has a number of alternative spellings. Apart from ''Karlsson'', '' Carlsson'' is the most common spelling variation. '' Karlson'' and '' Carlson'' also exist, but are uncommon, as are ''

Carlzon Carlzon is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: People * Cathrin Carlzon (born 1983), Swedish Olympic swimmer * Jan Carlzon (born 1941), Swedish businessman * Lars Carlzon (1918–2004), Swedish prelate and Bishop in Stockholm ...

'' and '' Qarlsson'' ( Annika Qarlsson). The parallel

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

forms are Karlsen and Carlsen. The surname is also found in

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

, where it is not strictly a surname, but a

Geographical distribution

As of 2014, 92.3% of all known bearers of the surname ''Karlsson'' were residents of Sweden, 2.8% of

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

and 1.2% of

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. In Sweden, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:52) in the following counties: #

Kalmar Kalmar (, , ) is a city in the southeast of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 36,392 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of ...

(1:21) #

Kronoberg Kronoberg County (; sv, Kronobergs län) is a county or ''län'' in southern Sweden. Kronoberg is one of three counties in the province of Småland. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar, and Blekinge. Its capital is t ...

(1:24) # Östergötland (1:28) #

Blekinge Blekinge (, old da, Bleking) is one of the traditional Swedish provinces (), situated in the southern coast of the geographic region of Götaland, in southern Sweden. It borders Småland, Scania and the Baltic Sea. It is the country's secon ...

(1:29) #

Örebro Örebro ( , ) is the sixth-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Örebro Municipality, and capital of the Örebro County. It is situated by the Närke Plain, near the lake Hjälmaren, a few kilometers inland along the small river Svartån, and ...

(1:32) #

Jönköping Jönköping (, ) is a city in southern Sweden with 112,766 inhabitants (2022). Jönköping is situated on the southern shore of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, in the province of Småland. The city is the seat of Jönköping Municipa ...

(1:33) #

Södermanland Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västman ...

(1:33) #

Värmland Värmland () also known as Wermeland, is a '' landskap'' (historical province) in west-central Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland, and Närke, and is bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are '' ...

(1:37) #

Halland Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Brömseb ...

(1:38) # Västra Götaland (1:44) In Finland, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average (1:945) in the following regions: #

Åland Åland ( fi, Ahvenanmaa: ; ; ) is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations. It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1,580 km2, and a populat ...

(1:25) #

Southwest Finland Southwest Finland, calqued as Finland Proper ( fi, Varsinais-Suomi ; sv, Egentliga Finland), is a region in the southwest of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The reg ...

(1:344) # Ostrobothnia (region) (1:593) #

Uusimaa Uusimaa (; sv, Nyland, ; both lit. 'new land') is a region of Finland. It borders the regions of Southwest Finland, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Päijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme), and Kymenlaakso. Finland's capital and largest city, ...

(1:724)

A

* Allan Karlsson (skier) (1911–1991), Swedish cross country skier * Allan Karlsson (footballer), Swedish former footballer *

Anders Carlsson (politician) Anders Carlsson (born 24 January 1951) is a Swedish politician and former chairman of the Communist Party from 1999 until 2014. Carlsson's mother was one of Sweden's first kindergarten teachers and his father was a sailor and later on a sea cap ...

(born 1951), Swedish social democratic politician *

Anders Karlsson (physicist) Anders Karlsson (born 1964 in Järna, Sweden) is a Swedish physicist who is working in scientific publishing.Andreas Karlsson Andreas John Karlsson (born August 19, 1975) is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player. Playing career Karlsson is a good skater and playmaker with good technical skills. During the season 2005–06 he has also shown that he is ...

(born 1975), Swedish ice hockey player * Ann-Ewa Karlsson (born 1955), Swedish Olympic high jumper * Ann-Marie Karlsson (born 1968), Swedish cross country skier * Arne Karlsson (sailor) (born 1936), Swedish sailboat racer * Arne Karlsson (sport shooter) (born 1946), Swedish sports shooter *

Arvid Carlsson Arvid Carlsson (25 January 1923 – 29 June 2018) was a Swedish neuropharmacologist who is best known for his work with the neurotransmitter dopamine and its effects in Parkinson's disease. For his work on dopamine, Carlsson was awarded the Nobe ...

(1923–2018), Swedish neuroscientist, Nobel Prize in 2000 * Åsa Karlsson (born 1973), Swedish politician

B

Bert Karlsson Bert Willis Karlsson (born 21 June 1945) is a Swedish record company manager, entrepreneur, and former politician (Member of Parliament 1991-1994) and front figure of the New Democracy (''Ny Demokrati'') party. As the owner and manager of the rec ...

(born 1945), Swedish record company manager and politician * Bertil Karlsson (1919–2012), Swedish athlete * Bo Karlsson (born 1949), Swedish football referee

C

* Christoffer Karlsson (born 1988), Swedish football (soccer) player *

Conny Karlsson (shot putter) Conny Karlsson (born 30 December 1975 in Dragsfjärd, Finland) is a 195-cm tall former Finnish shot putter, who competed for Pargas IF. His personal best in the men's shot put currently stands at 20.78 m, which he put on 4 August 2001 in the ...

(born 1975), Finnish shot putter

D

* David Karlsson (disambiguation)

E

* Einar Karlsson (1908–1980), Swedish wrestler *

Erik Karlsson Erik Sven Gunnar Karlsson (; born 31 May 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Karlsson was drafted in the first round, 15th overall, by the Otta ...

(born 1990), Swedish ice hockey player *

Evie (singer) Evelyn Tornquist Karlsson (born Evelyn Tornquist on March 29, 1956), mononymously known as Evie, is an American contemporary Christian music singer who was known in the late 1970s and early 1980s for songs such as "Mirror", "Step into the Sunsh ...

(full name Evie Karlsson, born 1956), U.S. Contemporary Christian music singer

F

* Fred Karlsson (born 1946), Finnish professor of general linguistics

H

* Håkan Karlsson (born 1970), Swedish freestyle swimmer *

Hans Karlsson Hans Karlsson (born 21 October 1946) is a Swedish Social Democratic politician. From 2002 to 2006, he served in the Cabinet of Göran Persson as Minister for Employment in the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications of the Swedis ...

(born 1946), Swedish Social Democratic politician *

Herbert Carlsson Knut Herbert "Murren" Karlsson (8 September 1896 – 21 October 1952), better known as Herbert Carlsson, was a Swedish football inside forward born in Gothenburg. He played professionally in both Sweden and the United States. He also earned twent ...

(1896–1952), Swedish football (soccer) player * Hjalmar Karlsson (1906–1992), Swedish sailboat racer

I

Ingvar Carlsson Gösta Ingvar Carlsson (born 9 November 1934) is a Swedish politician who twice served as Prime Minister of Sweden, first from 1986 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 1996. He was leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1986 to 1996. He ...

(born 1934), Swedish politician, Prime Minister of Sweden

J

* Jan O. Karlsson (1939–2016), Swedish politician *

Janne Karlsson (ice hockey, born 1958) Jan "Janne" Tordh Ingemar Karlsson (born 28 August 1958) is a Swedish professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of Denmark's national icehockey team. Playing career Karlsson played for HV71 from 1977 to 19 ...

(born 1958), Swedish ice hockey player * Jens Karlsson (born 1982), Swedish ice hockey player *

Jonas Karlsson Sven Bert Jonas Karlsson (born 11 March 1971) is a Swedish actor and author. Karlsson was born in Salem. He won a Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in 2004 for the movie '' Details''. He published his first book, a collection of short stories, i ...

(born 1971), Swedish actor and author

K

Kent Karlsson Kent Karlsson (born 25 November 1945) is a Swedish football coach and former player. He was capped 38 times for the national team and played at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. As a manager, he has managed Swedish, Danish and Norwegian clubs such as IFK ...

(born 1945), Swedish football manager *

Kettil Karlsson (Vasa) Kettil Karlsson (Vasa) (c. 1433 – 11 August 1465) was a Swedish clergyman, diplomat, military leader and statesman during the Kalmar Union era. He was a member of the house of Vasa. At age 25, he was elected Bishop of Linköping. He rebelled ...

(1433–1465), Swedish clergyman and regent of Sweden *

Kim Karlsson Kim Karlsson (born 30 October 1989) is a former Swedish professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for Luleå HF of the Elitserien Elitserien (literally, "the Elite League") is the name of several Swedish nationwide sport leagues. In ...

, Swedish ice hockey player * Kjell-Erik Karlsson (born 1946), Swedish Left Party politician

L

* Lars Karlsson (handballer) (born 1948), Swedish handball player *

Lars Erik Karlsson Lars Erik Karlsson (born 28 October 1964) is a Swedish former professional darts player who competed in the British Darts Organisation (BDO) during the 1980s and 90s. Career Karlsson played three successive World Championships in 1987, 1988 ...

, Swedish darts player * Lars Karlsson (ice hockey) (born 1960), Swedish ice hockey player * Louise Karlsson (born 1974), Swedish swimmer

M

* Magnus Karlsson (speedway rider) (born 1981), Swedish speedway rider * Magnus Karlsson (bandy) (born 1984), Swedish bandy player *

Magnus Karlsson (musician) Magnus Karlsson (born 26 November 1973) is a Swedish heavy metal songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is currently a session musician and songwriter of the band Primal Fear, as well as for other projects like his own ...

(born 1973), guitarist with heavy metal band Primal Fear *

Mandel Karlsson Mandel Karlsson, also known as 91:an Karlsson or 91:an, is a Sweden, Swedish comic book character and the main protagonist in the comic strip series ''91:an (comic strip), 91:an'' (Eng: ''№ 91''). He was created in 1932 by Rudolf Petersson. Th ...

(since 1932), alias 91:an Karlsson, Swedish cartoon character in ''91:an'' * Maria Karlsson (footballer, born 1983), Swedish footballer * Maria Karlsson (footballer, born 1985), Swedish footballer * Markus Karlsson (footballer, born 1972), Swedish football (soccer) player for Djurgården * Markus Karlsson (footballer, born 1979), Swedish football (soccer) player for Degerfors and AIK * Markus Karlsson (ice hockey) (born 1988), Swedish ice hockey defenceman *

Mikael Karlsson Karl Mikael Karlsson (born 21 August 1973), who rides under the name Mikael Max, is an international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the UK for the Wolverhampton Wolves in the Elite League. After first riding a speedway bike at the age ...

(born 1976, "Mikael Max" since 2003), Swedish speedway rider * Mikael Karlsson, better known as

Vigilante Carlstroem Mikael Karlsson (born 30 October 1978), better known by his stage name Vigilante Carlstroem, is the rhythm guitarist of the critically acclaimed Swedish garage rock band The Hives. Biography Vigilante started playing guitar at the age of ten an ...

, guitarist of the Swedish rock band

The Hives The Hives are a Swedish rock band that rose to prominence in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the album '' Veni Vidi Vicious'', containing the single "Hate to Say I Told You So". ...

N

* Niklas Karlsson (born 1974), Swedish politician *

Nils Karlsson Nils Emanuel Karlsson (25 June 1917 – 16 June 2012), better known as Mora-Nisse, was a Swedish cross-country skier. Karlsson won gold in the 50 km event at the 1948 Winter Olympics and nine Vasaloppet victories. Biography He was born nea ...

(1917–2012), known as Mora-Nisse, Swedish cross-country skier

O

P

Per Karlsson Per Jonas Karlsson (born 2 January 1986) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defender. Making his senior debut for AIK in 2003, he made a club record 455 appearances for the club and helped the team win the 2009 and 201 ...

(born 1986), Swedish football (soccer) player

Q

R

Robert Karlsson Robert Karlsson (born 3 September 1969) is a Swedish professional golfer who has played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour, and now plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Early life Karlsson was born in Katrineholm, Sweden where his father Björn ...

(born 1969), Swedish golfer *

Runar Karlsson Runar Karlsson (born 3 June 1953) is a politician in the Åland Islands, an autonomous and unilingually Swedish territory of Finland. On Åland he is well known for his proposals for more roundabouts A roundabout is a type of circular i ...

(born 1953), Swedish/Åland politician

S

Sebastian Karlsson (singer) Sebastian Karlsson (born 2 January 1985), known professionally as Sebastian, is a Swedish singer and performer, best known for his participation in Idol 2005, where he came in second place after Agnes Carlsson. He got a radio hit in Sweden with h ...

(born 1985), Swedish singer and performer in Idol 2005 * Simon Karlsson Adjei (born 1993), Swedish footballer * Sonia Karlsson (born 1946), Swedish social democratic politician

T

* Therese Karlsson (born 1972), Finnish singer and actor *

Thomas Karlsson Thomas Karlsson (born 1972) is a Swedish occultist and esoteric writer, with a PhD in the History of Religions from Stockholm University. (Thomas Karlsson's PhD thesis, in Swedish) In 1989 he founded Dragon Rouge, a Left-Hand Path initiatory o ...

(born 1972), Swedish writer and heavy metal lyricist

U

* Ulrika Karlsson (born 1973), Swedish politician of the Moderate Party

V

* Viktor Karlsson (born 1988), Swedish bandy player

W

William Karlsson Lars William Karlsson (born 8 January 1993), nicknamed "Wild Bill", is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, by the Anaheim ...

(born 1993), Swedish ice hockey player

Geographical distribution

A

B

C

D

E

F

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

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See also