Surname Berntzen - Meaning and Origin

Berntzen: What does the surname Berntzen mean?

The last name Berntzen is of Scandinavian origin, most likely derived from the Old Norse given name Bernt. It was a common name among the Viking settlers, and eventually spread to the countries bordering the North Sea.

The name Berntzen is derived from the ancient Norse name ‘Bernt’, and can be translated into English as ‘son of Bernt’. There is also a possibility that it is derived from the German language, as there is a similar sounding word, ‘bern’ which means ‘bear’. Berntzen may therefore be interpreted as ‘son of the bear’, the Scandinavian version of a ‘son of the strong one’ or ‘son of the brave one’.

The Berntzen surname is particularly popular in Norway, though its use is also common in Scandinavia and Germany. Several Berntzen families have long roots in Norway and are mentioned in historical documents, such as the “Berntzen of Dale” and the “Berntzen of Mangeby”.

In the modern day, Berntzen is a fairly common last name. It is still used in the Scandinavian countries, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark, as well as Finland. Berntzen is also used in Germany, the Netherlands and Britain.

Berntzen: Where does the name Berntzen come from?

The last name Berntzen is a fairly rare name that is currently found most frequently in Norway and Sweden.

In Norway, Berntzen is primarily found in the counties of Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Vest-Agder, and Oppland. In Norway, the Berntzen surname is believed to have originated in the county of Rogaland, and it is likely that the Berntzen name first appeared in Norway during the Viking Age between the 8th and 11th centuries. Today, the Berntzen name is fairly widely dispersed throughout Norway, though it is still not considered a particularly common surname.

In Sweden, the surname Berntzen can be especially common in the southernmost region of Skåne. In Sweden, the Berntzen surname appears to have emerged more recently than in Norway, likely during the 19th century. The Berntzen surname is today fairly widely distributed across Sweden, though still not common enough that it is definitively found in any one area.

In addition to Norway and Sweden, the last name Berntzen can be found in other countries, albeit in much smaller numbers. Places other than Norway and Sweden with significant Berntzen populations include Finland, Denmark, Germany, the United States, Canada, and even Australia.

Given its origins in Norway and Sweden, it is clear that the last name Berntzen is still most commonly found in these two countries. This is particularly true in Norway, as the name appears to have had a much longer presence in the country.

Variations of the surname Berntzen

Berntzen is a surname that is of Scandinavian origin and is derived from an old personal name, Bernhard, which is a form of Berno, a Germanic name meaning “bold bear”.

Variants of this name include:

Berentzen, Bernczene, Bernczenn, Berntzenn, Birnzen, Berntzenen, Bernzen, Beernzen, Bernzene, Bernstein, Bernsteen, Bernzenn, Bernszenn, Bernsenn, and Berentzenn.

It may also be found as the patronymic surname Berntzensen, which is derived from the patronymic form of the personal name Berntz, meaning “son of Berntz”.

In other languages, the surname can range from Bernatzen in German to Brännsten in Swedish, Bruntzen in Dutch, and Berntsin in Finnish.

Modern surnames derived from the root name Bernhard include Burnhardt, Bernhardt, Berndt, and Berentson.

The surname Berntzen is uncommon in its native Scandinavian countries, but it can be found in other parts of the world, particularly in North America and Australia.

Famous people with the name Berntzen

• Tore Berntzen (Norwegian actor and theatre director)
• Ernst Berntzen (Norwegian politician and county mayor of Sogn og Fjordane)
• Amalie Berntzen (Norwegian author)
• Ida Berntzen (Norwegian author and feminist)
• Torgeir Berntzen (Norwegian drummer of the progressive metal band, Leprous)
• Erik Berntzen (Norwegian classical guitarist and composer)
• Heddy Berntzen (Norwegian violinist, singer and television host)
• Marianne Berntzen (Norwegian film director and screenwriter)
• Noomi Berntzen (British singer-songwriter)
• Erle Berntzen (Norwegian cross-country skier)
• Silvija Berntzen (Norwegian lecturer and feminist)
• Øyvind Berntzen (Norwegian businessman and entrepreneur)
• Jan Einar Berntzen (Norwegian football player)
• Ola Berntzen (Norwegian harmonica player and folk singer)
• Linda Berntzen (Norwegian music producer, songwriter and record label owner)
• Johan Berntzen (Norwegian composer and arranger)
• Leif Berntzen (Norwegian jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer)
• Martin Berntzen (Norwegian saxophonist and composer)
• Kari Berntzen (Norwegian visual artist, curator and researcher)
• Aksel Berntzen (Norwegian Jazz guitarist, composer and producer)

Other surnames

Ba'AlawiBaadeBaaderBaakeBaalawiBaarBaariBaarschBaartBaarthBaartsBaarzBaasBabacanBabadagiBabayigitBabbBabbsBabcockBabcoxBabeBaberBabersBabeyBabieBabistBabstBâby