Aaronson

Aaronson is a surname of Jewish origin, meaning "son of Aaron" and forming a patronymic from the given name Aaron. The given name Aaron itself derives from Hebrew Aharon, a high priestly figure in biblical tradition. The surname emerged among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Europe and spread to North America and Israel through migration and diaspora.

In English-language usage, Aaronson is the common spelling, with transliteration and migration producing related forms and variations over time.

Notable people with the surname include Scott Aaronson (born 1981), an American theoretical computer scientist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on quantum computing, computational complexity, and related fields; he is also known for the popular science blog Shtetl-Optimized.

The surname is primarily associated with Jewish communities, but as with many patronymics, it has become established as a family name across diverse populations in the modern era. It appears in biographical, academic, and cultural contexts in English-speaking countries and in Israel.