Surname Petersen - Meaning and Origin
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Petersen Unveiled: An Enlightening Journey to Familial Roots via iGENEA DNA Analysis
My experience with DNA analysis at iGENEA has sparked an enlightening revelation about my familial roots linked to my surname, Petersen. The journey back in time unfolded significant insights into the Nordic-Germanic origins of the name, illuminating seafaring traditions of my lineage and even discovering distant relatives.
X. Petersen
read morePetersen: What does the surname Petersen mean?
The last name Petersen is of Scandinavian origin and generally associated with Danish, Norwegian, and some Swedish families. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it's based on a male ancestor's name. In this case, "Petersen" translates to "son of Peter". The suffix "-sen" means "son" and is appended to the father's name, a common practice in many Scandinavian cultures. The first name "Peter" itself originates from the Greek name "Petros" meaning "rock or stone", evoking the notion of stability and strength. So, the surname Petersen essentially denotes "son of the strong one" or "son of the rock". This surname is quite common in Denmark and Norway, and also found among people of German descent.
Order DNA origin analysisPetersen: Where does the name Petersen come from?
The last name Petersen is quite common in several places across the globe. In Denmark, it is the fifth most popular surname, with approximately 75,000 people boasting the surname. Denmark is also where the surname originated, though it does have roots in other northern and western European countries as well.
In Germany, the last name is also popular, with approximately 52,000 people bearing the name. It is also a common last name in the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Around the world, the last name is well-represented in the United States, where according to research from the Time Magazine, it is the 71st most common name with over 23,000 people registered under it in 2014.
In Canada, it is among the top 150 most used surnames and according to statistics from 2011, over 5,000 people shared the name. Going further east, the surname is also registered in many places in Australia, with 2,000 people registered under the name.
The last name Petersen has a vibrant presence around Europe and North America. It is gaining more prominence in other places across the globe as well, indicating the resilience and diffuseness of the last name.
Variations of the surname Petersen
The surname Petersen is of German and Scandinavian origin and has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
In Denmark, Petersen is the most common surname. Other common Danish versions of Petersen include Pedersen, Petersen and Petterson.
In Norway, the variant Petterson is most popular. Other common Norwegian versions of Petersen include Pedersen, Pedersdotter, and Pederson.
In Germany, the most commonly used variants are Petersen and Peters. Common spellings used in Germany include Petersen, Peters, Pöters, Peeters, Pieters and Pierres.
In Sweden, the most common variant of Petersen is Peterson. Other Swedish spellings and surnames include Pettersson, Pehrsson, Péttersson and Pihl.
In Finland, the most common variant of Petersen is Pettersson. Other Finnish spellings and surnames include Pötsönen, Pehrsson, Petäjäniemi and Penttilä.
In the United States, the most commonly used variants are Petersen, Peterson, Pederson, and Pedersen.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Petersen can vary depending on the country or region, but some of the most common variants found worldwide include Petersen, Pedersen, Petterson, Peterson, Peters, Pöters, Peeters, Pieters, Pierres, Pettersson, Pehrsson, Péttersson, Pihl, Petäjäniemi, Penttilä, Pederson and Pettersson.
Famous people with the name Petersen
- Ben Petersen: A former director of photography for the National Geographic Channel.
- Katherine Petersen: An actor who has appeared on television shows and films such as Alias, CSI, ER, and Bad Teacher.
- Lori Petersen: A former competitive figure skater who won many titles over the course of her career.
- Richard Petersen: An American filmmaker known for his work on films such as Flashdance and Scarface.
- Mark Petersen: A Danish sculptor who is known for his bronze and terracotta statues.
- Hans Olav Petersen: An explorer, navigator, and one of the first people to circumnavigate the world in a single-engine airplane.
- Scooter Petersen: An American actor known for his appearances in films such as The Affair and Midnight Sun.
- Waldemar Petersen: A Norwegian-born former soccer player who played in nine World Cup qualifications and became a manager after retiring from playing.
- Kristian Petersen: A Danish international goalkeeper who played for both the Danish national team and a number of clubs.
- Clint Petersen: An American professional skater who is part of the Zero Skateboards team.