Afzelius

Afzelius is a Swedish surname. It is a Latinized form of the Swedish placename Ovansjö, specifically from the Afzeliigården farm in Ovansjö parish, Gävleborg County. The surname is associated with a prominent Swedish family that includes numerous academics, scientists, and other notable figures.

Notable people with the surname Afzelius include:

• Adam Afzelius (1750-1837): A Swedish botanist and physician. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus and is known for his work on the flora of Sierra Leone.

• Pehr von Afzelius (1760-1843): A Swedish physician and professor. He was a personal physician to King Gustav IV Adolf.

• Johan Afzelius (1753-1837): A Swedish chemist and mineralogist. He is credited with discovering uric acid and the element cerium (along with Martin Heinrich Klaproth and Jöns Jacob Berzelius).

The name Afzelius is also found in the scientific naming of plants, often as afzelii or afzeliana, to honor Adam Afzelius.