Patronymic

A Patronymic is a name, particularly a surname, derived from a father "or male ancestor (OED. 2021)), maybe many generations ago). In English these are often marked by the suffix -son, as in Johnson ('son of John'); Pat[t]erson ('son of Patrick'); Ericsson/Ericson/Erikson/Eriksson ('son of Eric', commonly Swedish 'son of Erik'); Dixon ('son of Dick, or Richard'). In the UK, similar meanings are carried by the prefixes in Celtic languages Mac- (Scots) and M'c or M' in Irish Gaelic; in Erse also O', as in O'Riley/Reilly/Reel[e]y ('descendant of Raghailleach'); O'Brian/Brien/Briant/Bryan ('descendant of Brian [Boru]); O'Higgins (Ó hUiginn, 'descendant of a Viking'); in Welsh Ab- or Ap-, as in Powell (son of Howell [Hywel]); Pugh ('son of Hugh'); Price/Preece ('son of Reece [Rhys]); Protheroe/Protherough/Prydderch ('son of Roderick [Rhydderch]').