Leifsdóttir

Leifsdóttir is an Icelandic feminine patronymic meaning “daughter of Leif.” It is not a fixed family surname; in Icelandic naming practice, a person’s last name is typically a patronymic or, less commonly, a matronymic derived from a parent’s given name rather than an inherited family name.

The formation is based on the father’s name Leif (or Leifur). A daughter of a man named Leif would ordinarily be called Leifsdóttir, while a son would receive a patronymic formed with the suffix -son, commonly Leifsson. Thus Leifsdóttir literally identifies a person as Leif’s daughter, and the same person’s siblings may have different patronymics if their parent's names differ or if naming customs vary by generation.

In practice, Icelandic speakers often refer to individuals by their given name, with the patronymic serving as a descriptive second name rather than a fixed family surname. This means Leifsdóttir functions as a descriptive identifier rather than a hereditary surname. The spelling and usage adhere to Icelandic orthography, including the use of dóttir for daughters and son for sons, and the name reflects Norse linguistic roots.

Among Icelandic diaspora communities, Leifsdóttir may be retained for cultural or personal reasons, but outside Iceland, naming conventions vary and some families adopt inherited surnames for convenience. Overall, Leifsdóttir illustrates the Icelandic tradition of patronymic naming, emphasizing lineage through a parent’s first name rather than through a stable family surname.