The Josephson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,590 people carried this name — #9,100 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 82,000 people counted. That is down 2% from 3,663 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Josephson surname

An English surname originating as a patronymic.

From Joseph + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Josephson» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In the Nordic population registers

355 people named Josephson is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 355

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Josephson in American newspapers,
1887–1906.

Newspaper page from Stern Des Westlichen Ohio = Star Of Western Ohio carrying the name Josephson
Stern Des Westlichen Ohio = Star Of Western Ohio 1906-04-05
Newspaper page from Stern Des Westlichen Ohio = Star Of Western Ohio carrying the name Josephson
Stern Des Westlichen Ohio = Star Of Western Ohio 1906-03-29
Newspaper page from Press And Daily Dakotaian carrying the name Josephson
Press And Daily Dakotaian 1887-11-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 7,448 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Josephson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

11,506 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Josephson. The most, 1,811, date from the 1860s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,156
Queensland 1,723
Victoria 921
Western Australia 499
South Australia 101
Tasmania 80
ACT (Canberra) 16
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Josephson.

Who carried it

People named Josephson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jacob Axel Josephson
    Jacob Axel Josephson 1818–1880 · composer
  • Edvard Josephson
    Edvard Josephson 1825–1882
  • Wilhelm Josephson
    Wilhelm Josephson 1827–1917 · businessperson
  • David Josephson 1750–1838 · businessperson
  • Salomon Josephson 1784–1834 · wholesaler
  • Ludwig Josephson 1809–1877 · writer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Josephson,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States998 records

998 records of the Josephson name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 478
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 192
  • Other U.S. records 328
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Carl G. Josephson

    Born 1915 in New York. Enlisted 1943 at New York City; commercial artist from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1979, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Paula Josephson

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Neckar from Bremen, aged 20; servant. From Berlin, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Hartley Michael Josephson

    Born 1938; from Canoga Park, California. U.S. Navy, dental corps; died in an accident 1966 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 998 records for Josephson in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia140 records

140 records of the Josephson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 87
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 22
  • Other Australian records 31
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jacob Josephson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Neptune, arriving 1818.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Judge Josephson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Parramatta, aged 79; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Norman L. F. Josephson

    Consulting engineer of New South Wales, Victoria; died 1938.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 140 records for Josephson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada14 records

14 records of the Josephson name in Canada
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 6
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 5
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Jack Josephson

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Symetry, bound for St. Johns, aged 17.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William F. Josephson

    Buried in 1987 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Fred Josephson

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 14 records for Josephson in Canada.

Counts: City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Germany8 records

8 records of the Josephson name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 7
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Werner Josephson

    From Büdelsdorf, Rendsburg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 2 November 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 53).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Anton Abraham Josephson

    Emigrated to North America in 1867.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Ernst Josephson

    From Berlin. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 14 May 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 165).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Josephson in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Josephson name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Gustav Josephson

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1806 in Unna Pruissen.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Mahonri Alma Josephson

    In the population register of Leeuwarden; born 1893.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Johanna Josephson

    In a population register; born 1837 in Druten.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Josephson in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Josephson name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Arlette Josephson

    Born 1928 in Paris; died 2001 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Alain Josephson

    Born 1947 in Paris; died 1972 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Josephson name in New Zealand Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lucy Mary Le Josephson

    Died 1963; buried at Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Josephson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Josephson is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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