Surname Cristensen - Meaning and Origin

Cristensen: What does the surname Cristensen mean?

The last name Cristensen is of Scandinavian origin and originated in Denmark and Sweden. It is primarily derived from the Old Norse personal name Kristian, meaning "follower of Christ." It is a patronymic surname, which indicates that it was passed down from the original bearer's father to his children.

The surname Cristensen has many variants, some of which include Christiansen, Kristensen, Christenson, Christensen, Kristiansen, and Krusen. It is sometimes confused with the similar name Christian.

Cristensen is a relatively uncommon surname, often found primarily in Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and even in some parts of England. It is also sometimes found in other countries such as the United States, Canada, Argentina, Australia, and other countries that hold a large Scandinavian heritage.

Today, it is one of the more prominent last names in Denmark, ranking as the 20th most common surname in the country. It is less common in Sweden, but still quite prevalent in that region.

Overall, the last name Cristensen is a patronymic name derived from the Old Norse personal name Christian. It is most famously found among populations of Scandinavian descent across numerous countries, and many variations of the name exist.

Cristensen: Where does the name Cristensen come from?

The last name Christensen is a Danish and Scandinavian surname meaning "son of Christian." It is common throughout Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, and is one of the most common last names in the world. The surname is particularly common in the United States, where it is the 40th most popular last name. It is estimated that 1 in every 246 people is a Christensen in the United States.

In Denmark, Christensen is the second most common surname. It is also extremely common in Norway, where it ranks 4th, and in Sweden, where it is 9th. It is not as common in Finland, where it ranks 16th, though it is still fairly widespread there.

In Canada, the Christensen surname is the 44th most common, and is estimated to be present in roughly 1 in 281 people in the country.

In the United Kingdom, Christensen is much lower in numbers, ranking in the 500s. It is estimated to be present in roughly 1 in 2,109 British citizens.

Christensen is also present in many other countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Austria, France, and several countries in South America. In Australia, it is the 69th most popular surname, with 1 in 842 people being a Christensen.

Variations of the surname Cristensen

The surname Christensen is derived from the Latinised version of the patronymic name 'Kristensen'. The Danish variant is the most common spelling of this surname, however, there are various regional spellings and variations that can be found in Scandinavian countries.

Variants and alternate spellings of the surname include:

Cristenssen – Common in Norway

Cristiansen – Common in Denmark

Kristenssen – Common in Sweden

Christiansen – Common in Finland

Kristiansen – Less common

Kristensen – Common in Denmark

Kristiansson – Common in Sweden

Christensen – Common in Denmark

Christian – Common in England

Kristensen is also a very common surname derived from fish and farming related words with the suffix '-sen' added. It is estimated that this surname originated from the pre-Christian era of the Viking age when all names were of Scandinavian origin.

The most common surnames derived from Christensen are:

Christensen– Common in Denmark

Christian – Common in England

Christiansen – Common in Finland

Kristensen – Common in Denmark

Kristersen – Common in Norway

Kristiansen – Less common

Kristiansson – Common in Sweden

Christenson – Common in United States

Christianson – Common in United States

Christesson – Common in United States

The Christensen surname is also found in various other countries with slightly different spellings and pronunciations. In Germany, it is pronounced as 'Kristerssen'. In the Netherlands, the variant 'Kriestersen' is often used. In the United States, the most common variants are Christenson, Christianson, and Christesson.

The surname is also found in Scotland, India, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, where it is sometimes spelled without the '-sen' suffix, as 'Kristian'.

Famous people with the name Cristensen

1.Christina Christensen: American stage and film actress, most notably known for her role in the television series 24. 2.Lars Christensen: Greenlandic-Danish Lutheran missionary and ethnographer known for his work on Greenlandic and Inuit culture. 3.Lissa Christensen: American television actress, known for her roles on Girlfriends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Sister, Sister. 4.Jeanne Christensen: former member of the Arizona House of Representatives. 5.Beth Christensen: American professional wrestler and former referee better known by her ring name, "The Fabulous Moolah". 6.Hilarie Christensen: American actress known for her work in films such as It's Complicated and The Darkest Minds. 7.David Christensen: Minister for Transport of Denmark since 2019, previously a deputy mayor of Albertslund from 2006 to 2015. 8.Freya Christensen: British professional figure skater and British National champion. 9.Mads Christensen: Danish professional footballer who plays as a striker for German club Preussen Munster. 10.Jane Christensen: American television director, producer, and writer whose credits include The Wonder Years, Chicago Hope, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Other surnames

Cristen