He was the son of professor Samuel Aurivillius and Anna Margaretha Rosén von Rosenstein.

The "von Rosenstein" surname was his mother's family name which came through an adoption.

His maternal grandfather was Uppsala University professor of medicine Nils Rosén von Rosenstein (1706–1773).

[2] He attended Uppsala University where he first studied classical literature followed by theology.

He was ordained a priest in 1791 after becoming master of primus and associate professor of theology in 1790.