Peterson (name)
Peterson is a Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning "son of Peter." The given name Peter is derived from the Greek πέτρος, meaning "rock" or "stone," and has been a popular name choice throughout history for the Christian apostle Peter. The surname is most commonly found in European countries such as Denmark, Germany, Holland, and Brussels in the northwestern region. There are an estimated 700 variant spellings of the surname. The form Peterson may also have arisen from Danish Petersen with a change of spelling commonly applied by Danish immigrants to English-speaking countries.
List of people with this surname
- Adrian Peterson, American football running back
- Adrian N. Peterson, American football running back
- Alan P. Peterson, American ornithologist and taxonomist
- Amanda Peterson, American actress
- Andrew Peterson, multiple people
- Ann Peterson, American Olympic diver
- Arthur Peterson, multiple people
- Brian Peterson, multiple people
- Carla Peterson , Argentinian actress
- Cassandra Peterson, American actress best known for her screen persona "Elvira"
- Charles Gilbert Peterson, American Contractor and Mayor former of Lockport, NY
- Christine Peterson, American forecaster
- Clark Peterson,, film producer
- Chip Peterson, American swimmer
- Collin Peterson, American politician, congressman from Minnesota
- Curtis Norman Peterson, Social Psychologist, Professor Social Science Tohono O'odham Nation
- D. J. Peterson, American baseball player
- Dan Peterson, American basketball coach
- Daniel Peterson, American physician in private practice in the state of Nevada
- Daniel C. Peterson, Professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young University
- David Peterson, Canadian politician, twentieth premier of Ontario
- Daystar Peterson, Canadian rapper and singer known professionally as Tory Lanez
- Debbi Peterson, American singer
- Denis Peterson, American painter
- Donald H. Peterson, former American NASA astronaut
- Dorothy Peterson, American actress
- Drew Peterson, American former Illinois police sergeant and convicted murderer
- Dustin Peterson, American baseball player
- Dutton S. Peterson, New York clergyman and politician
- Elly M. Peterson American, Michigan politician
- Eric Peterson, Canadian actor
- Eric Peterson , American guitarist
- Erik Peterson , German theologian
- Esther Peterson, American, Assistant Secretary of Labor
- Eugene H. Peterson, American Presbyterian minister, scholar, theologian, author, and poet
- Frank Peterson, German music producer
- Franklin P. Peterson, American mathematician
- Frederick Peterson , American neurologist, psychiatrist, and poet
- George P. "Bud" Peterson, president, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Gil Peterson, American actor and singer
- Gilbert Peterson, American Contractor
- Gilles Peterson, English DJ
- Gordon Peterson, American broadcast journalist
- Halvor H. Peterson, American farmer and politician
- Hattie Peterson, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Jace Peterson, American baseball player
- Jeret Peterson, American aerial skier
- Jerome P. Peterson, American educator and politician
- Jesse Peterson, American Industrialist and Presidential Elector
- Jim Peterson, Canadian politician
- John Peterson, multiple people
- Jordan Peterson, Canadian psychologist
- Kandi Peterson,American singer of dutch roots
- Keith Peterson, Canadian politician
- Kevin Peterson , American football player
- Kristjan Jaak Peterson, Estonian poet
- Laci Peterson, American, murdered wife of Scott Peterson
- Lenka Peterson, American actress
- Liza Jessie Peterson, American playwright, actor, activist, and educator
- Lynn Peterson, Canadian, mayor of Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Mark Peterson, several people
- Maurice Peterson, British diplomat
- Michael Peterson
- Morris Peterson, American basketball player
- Norm Peterson , Australian politician
- Olive Peterson, American bridge player
- Oscar Peterson, Canadian jazz pianist and composer
- Oscar V. Peterson, American seaman in the US Navy
- Patrick Peterson, American football player
- Peter George Peterson, businessman, author, and politician
- Peter Peterson, 19th century Wisconsin merchant
- Pete Peterson, baseball player
- Pete Peterson, American POW, US Congressman from Florida, and later ambassador to Vietnam
- Peter Peterson, former Canadian Member of Parliament
- Pete Peterson, American motion picture special effects and stop-motion animation pioneer* Ray Peterson, American pop singer
- Rebecca Peterson, Swedish tennis player
- Robin Peterson, South African cricketer
- Roger Peterson, Aruban-Dutch musician
- Roger Peterson , pilot of the plane that crashed killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry Richardson
- Roger Tory Peterson, American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator
- Ronnie Peterson, Swedish racing driver
- Russell W. Peterson, American engineer and politician, governor of Delaware
- Scott Peterson, American convicted murderer
- Shelley Peterson, Canadian actress
- Stephen Peterson , American world champion rower in 1990, 1996 Olympian
- Thalia Gouma-Peterson, American professor
- Thomas Mundy Peterson, first African-American to vote in an election
- Thorleif T. Peterson, American farmer and politician
- Todd Peterson , American football player
- Trudy Huskamp Peterson, American historian, former acting Archivist of the United States
- Vadal Peterson, American college sports coach
- Val Peterson, American, governor of Nebraska
- Vicki Peterson, American pop musician
- Walter R. Peterson, Jr., governor of New Hampshire
- W. Wesley Peterson, American mathematician and computer scientist
Fictional characters with this surname
- Lindsay Peterson, character in the television series Queer as Folk
- Minty Peterson, character in EastEnders
- Norm Peterson, character on the American TV show Cheers
- Ray Peterson, character portrayed by Tom Hanks in The 'Burbs
- Sloane Peterson, character portrayed by Mia Sara in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Penny, Patty and Paul Peterson, characters in the 2014 computer animated film Mr. Peabody and Sherman
- Stinky Peterson, character on Animated TV Show Hey Arnold.