The Classons are a family with a proud and rich tradition, spanning many continents over many centuries. Although “Classon” itself is a chiefly Swedish name, today the family is a veritable smörgåsbord of diversity, giving it a unique American identity. The Classon “melting pot” is very much a reflection of the United States, with Classons drawing their heritage from as far East as Taiwan and as far West as Quebec. Regardless of background, all Classons share a common legacy which is still influential in the family to this day.
The story of the Classon family begins in 1889, when Klas Jonasson and Ingrid Mattisdotter had a baby boy in Sweden. In line with the Swedish patronymic naming system at the time, he was named Mattis Klasson. In 1807, when he was 18, Mattis immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island. Like many poor immigrants from Europe (and especially Sweden at the time), he found a better life in the U.S. as a laborer in New York. Eventually, Mattis settled down in Massachusetts where he worked as a carpenter. As Mattis grew more and more acquainted with the U.S., he began to prefer an alternate spelling of his surname: Classon. This new, American name was the one which his children and all of their descendants would take.
Like Mattis, so many modern Classons share in his vision of a better life through hard work and ingenuity. Although much has changed since the first American Classon, the Classons are still united as one family under one, American dream.