Surname Berntssen - Meaning and Origin
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Berntssen: What does the surname Berntssen mean?
The last name Berntssen is a patronymic name derived from the Scandinavian personal name Bernt. The literal translation of the name is “son of Bernt” and it is common in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. It is believed to be derived from the Germanicnard(warrior) and berht (bright, famous).
The first recorded instance of the name was found in a Latin document in Florence, Italy from 1347. It was recorded as Berntsonus and referred to a man from Norway who took citizenship in Florence.
The surname Berntssen is still relatively common in Norway today. According to the 2019 census data, it was used by 489 people in Norway, making it the 266th most popular surname in the country.
Berntssen is an occupational or hereditary surname, meaning it was created to denote a person who did a certain job or had a particular line of ancestry. It could also be derived from a topographical feature in Norway.
Examples of hereditary Berntssen families are the Berntssen family of Gorum in the parish of Fyresdal, Telemark; the Berntssen family of Ålvik, Hordaland; and the Berntssen family of Grødås, Øyer, Oppland.
Currently, there are prominent people bearing the Berntssen surname in Norway, including Ingvill Machlov Berntssen, a renowned Norwegian folk-singer, and Knut Berntssen a Norwegian novelist.
Order DNA origin analysisBerntssen: Where does the name Berntssen come from?
The surname Berntssen is most commonly found in Northern Europe. In particular, it appears to be linked to the Nordic countries in Scandinavia. The name is found quite commonly in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland, and is believed to have its origins there. The name is often seen in Norwegian records as Berntsen and is thought to have derived from the ancient Nordic language, as it is built on the Old Norse name 'Bernøs'. Records of the name date back to 1220 where there is a mention of 'Eirik Berntson'.
The name Berntssen is most likely derived from the name 'Bern' which has its origins in the Hebrew language and means 'son of the bear'. This may have once been a nickname or an occupational surname, given to those who hunted bears for a living. The surname could also have had an even older Germanic origin, with 'bero' meaning 'bear'.
Today, the surname Berntssen is found mainly around northern Europe, especially in Scandinavia. It is seen in many records, with around 1,500 people carrying the surname in Norway and Sweden. It is also recorded in other Scandinavian countries such as Denmark and Finland. However, in other regions such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, the name is not found very often.
Variations of the surname Berntssen
Berntssen is a surname of German origin. It is derived from the first name Bernhard, and can appear in various spellings or forms.
The most common variants of the surname Berntssen include Berntson, Berndtson, Bernson, Bernardson, Bernsthson, and Bernhardson. Additionally, there are alternate spellings, including Bernthson, Berhnson, Berhntson, Berhnston, and Berentson.
Variations in spelling can occur due to differences in language and dialect, or even accidental mistakes made by census takers, immigration officials, and military personnel.
Surnames within the same origin can also be combined together in order to create new surnames. For instance, the surname Berntssen can be combined with the surname Rasmussen to create the surname Berntssen-Rasmussen.
Lastly, the surname Berntssen can be found in other countries, such as Denmark, where it is spelled Bernstsen or Bernsten, and in Sweden, where it is spelled Bernsten.
Overall, the surname Berntssen can come in many different forms, whether through spellings, variants, or surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Berntssen
- Kjetil André Berntssen, a Norwegian footballer
- Lars Berntssen, a Norwegian alpine skier
- Eirik Torleiv Berntssen, a Norwegian football defender
- Hedvig Berntssen, a Norwegian speed skater
- Gøran Berntssen, a Norwegian association football player
- Johan Fröberg Berntssen, a Swedish professional ice hockey player
- Seimour Berntssen, a Finnish ice hockey player
- Simon Berntssen, an Australian singer-songwriter
- Jonas Berntssen, a Norwegian-American cultural historian
- Henrik Berntssen, a Swedish javelin thrower