Surname Fissenden - Meaning and Origin
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Fissenden: What does the surname Fissenden mean?
The last name Fissenden is a very old English surname. It is recorded in over seventy variants, including Fissenden, Fissant, Fissat, Fissitt, Fizant, Fessant, Fessenden, Fasenden, Fishenden, and Fissanden. The surname is thought to have derived from the name of a place or region, likely in ancient Britain. While its exact origin is not known, the Fissenden name is believed to have originated from the Old English words “fiss” meaning “to split” or “to divide” and “denu” meaning “valley” or “pasture.”
The Fissenden surname first appeared in records in the late 12th century in Yorkshire and likely referred to families who either lived or had ancestral links to that region. It grew in popularity during the 16th century, as English surnames were becoming increasingly common. Historical records indicate that the name became more widespread and even crossed the Atlantic Ocean during the late 19th century, after the Industrial Revolution.
Today, descendants of the Fissenden name are spread across the globe. Many families with the surname have preserved their historical roots by taking an interest in genealogy and attempting to trace their family’s history. Regardless of its exact origin, the Fissenden surname is a reminder of past generations and a strong example of how important surnames can be in claiming our heritage and identity.
Order DNA origin analysisFissenden: Where does the name Fissenden come from?
The last name Fissenden is most common in English-speaking countries today. The name can be found in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In the United States, the name can be found in all 50 states; however, the majority of Fissendens are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. According to the 2020 US Census, approximately 1,892 people in the US share the last name Fissenden.
In addition, the name can be found in several provinces throughout Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. According to Statistics Canada, an estimated 585 people with the last name Fissenden lived in Canada in 2016.
In the United Kingdom, the last name Fissenden is most common in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. The research company Marke Assets estimated that between 2017 and 2018 the name was held by approximately 561 people in the UK.
Finally, the last name Fissenden can also be found in Australia in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the name is held by approximately 535 people in Australia.
Variations of the surname Fissenden
The surname Fissenden has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Fissenden, Fesenden, Fesendin, Fessenden, Fessendin, Fisenden, Fissendorf, Fisendin, Fisendorf, Fissendin, Fizendin, Fizenden, and Fazard.
Fissenden is an English surname mostly found in the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent in the United States. It is thought to have originated from the Old English phrase of “Fysen”, which means field, and “Denu”, which means valley. It is believed to have been first used to describe someone who lived in a valley surrounded by fields.
The spellings of Fissenden may also have been influenced by Scandinavian and German immigrants who settled in the UK over the centuries. The spelling Fizenden may have been derived from the German spelling “Fissenden”.
The Fissenden surname may also derive from other Old English words, such as Feisenden (phantoms), Fesenden (fanning), and Fesendin (furrowing). An alternative origin for the name can be traced back to the French word fesses, which translates as behind. This word was often used to denote someone who lived near the back of a village.
Finally, Fissenden can also be a variation of the surname Fisken or Fisher, which is an occupational name for someone who worked as a fisherman. The German variant Fissendorf may also have originated from this alternative variant of the surname.
In conclusion, the surname Fissenden has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These can trace their origin back to Old English words associated with farming, or alternatively, the French and German words for behind or fisherman respectively. The spelling of Fissenden has likely been influenced by immigrants over centuries of settlement.
Famous people with the name Fissenden
- Reginald Fessenden: He was a Canadian-American inventor, radio pioneer, and entrepreneur who developed a means for the broadcasting of sound over long distances before becoming a major figure in the development of the technology of radio broadcasting.
- Owen Fissenden: He is an American attorney and has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
- August Fissenden: He was a prominent American author best known for his biographies of nineteenth-century American writers and poets, including Edgar Allen Poe.
- Will Fissenden: He is an American actor known for roles in television series such as Masters of Sex and The Leftovers.
- John Fessenden: He was a Canadian military officer who served as the Deputy Chief of Staff Operation in the Canadian Forces.
- Laura Fissenden: She is an American artist best known for her abstract oil paintings.
- Martin Fessenden: He is a Canadian mathematician known for his work on computation, computer graphics, and image compression.
- Benjamin Fessenden: He is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and former politician who has held positions in the federal, provincial and municipal governments of Canada.
- Elizabeth Fessenden: She is an American writer and editor best known for her edited compendiums on contemporary poets and authors.
- Justin Fessenden: He is an American professional ice hockey player who has played for the Anaheim Ducks and the New York Islanders.