Surname Adolfsen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'A'
Adolfsen: What does the surname Adolfsen mean?
The last name Adolfsen is of German origin and is derived from the given name Adolf, which is composed of two elements and means ‘noble wolf’. This surname was most likely brought to northern Europe by German-speaking settlers early in the Middle Ages. Records of Adolfsen surnames show a large spread amongst the Scandinavian countries, especially in Norway and Denmark, and much less so in Finland and Sweden.In medieval times, surnames were used as a way of distinguishing between individuals and families of the same given name. A common practice of the time was to refer to one individual by two different names; one by their given name and the other by their family name. It appears that Adolfsen was most commonly used as a first or middle name, while the variants Adolphson and Adolfson were more frequently used as a surname.
The term ‘noble wolf’ is of particular significance to the surname Adolfsen, as it is believed to represent strength and courage. In ancient Scandinavian societies, wolves were respected and feared by many. Consequently, the use of the surname Adolfsen can be seen as one of honour and esteem. As a result, it is not surprising it has seen such a continued presence and spread throughout Europe for centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisAdolfsen: Where does the name Adolfsen come from?
Adolfsen is a surname of German and Scandinavian origin. It is currently most common in regions of those same Germanic nations, such as Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In terms of geographic distribution, the highest concentrations of people bearing the surname Adolfsen are in Denmark and Sweden.
In Denmark, Adolfsen is the second most common of twenty-one surnames beginning with "Adolf-", making it the 4,743rd most populous of the country's 750,000 surnames. Sweden follows suit, where it ranks second among fifteen "Adolf-surnames" on that country's list of common surnames.
Outside of Scandinavia and Germany, Adolfsen is found in much lower numbers in countries with sizable German immigrant populations, such as the United States and Australia. In the United States, the surname ranks 19th in popularity among surnames beginning with "Adolf-". Similarly, in Australia, Adolfsen is a rare surname, though it does make the list of top thousand family names.
Overall, the last name Adolfsen is most common in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, although it is still present in countries with large Germanic populations such as the United States and Australia.
Variations of the surname Adolfsen
The surname Adolfsen is a patronymic surname which originated from the given name ‘Adolf’. This is a masculine name derived from the Old Germanic elements ‘adal’ meaning ‘noble’ and ‘wolf’ meaning ‘wolf’. This name was popular in northern Europe in the Middle Ages.
Various variants and spellings that have been documented over time include, Adolfson, Adolphson, Adofsson, Adalson, Atholfson, Atholds, Atholinson, Adalsen, Atholsdottir, Adolfdottir and Adolffsen. Surnames of the same origin include Aoldorf, Odolf, Adelwolf, Adolfo, Adolpho, Adelf and Alfolf.
In old English records, the variant Athelveson has also been documented along with Adofson, Aldofeshon, Athulsen and brings a slightly different spelling of this surname.
Modern variants of this surname have also been documented in the most recent decades including, Adolfs, Adelfs, Adels, Alldofs and Adbelow.
Other regional variants have been documented which are associated with different countries of origin. Adolfse is the Dutch variant, Adolfsen is the Norwegian variant and Adolfsson is the Swedish variant.
Occasionally a surname with the form ‘Adolf or Adof’ is seen in the records as a short form of the surname.
In conclusion, there are a range of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin associated with the Adolfsen surname.
Famous people with the name Adolfsen
- Frode Adolfsen: Norwegian Footballer
- Eddie Adolfsen: American Actor
- Christine Adolfsen: Norwegian Politician
- Anette Adolfsen: Norwegian Figure Skater
- Agnar Adolfsen: Norwegian Film Director
- Inger Adolfsen: Norwegian Competitive Skier
- Arthur Adolfsen: Norwegian Cycling Champion
- Wilhelm Adolfsen: Danish Painter
- William Adolfsen: American Football Player
- Loni Adolfsen: German Actress