Surname Housen - Meaning and Origin
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Housen: What does the surname Housen mean?
The last name Housen is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "hause," meaning "house." This suggests that the original bearer of the name was someone who lived in or owned a house. In addition, it is believed that the surname may have been used to denote a person who lived in the same house for generations or was associated with a particular area.
In early records, the name can be found in the form of Houseman. This form has its roots in the Old Norse word hausmann, which meant "the manager or overseer of the house". People carrying the name may also be descended from the tribes of the ancient Germanic people known as the Franks, who settled in what is now the modern-day Belgium, Germany, and northern France.
Housen is a rare surname, and, while it can be found throughout Europe, it is most often found in the United States. It is estimated that there are only around 6,000 people in America who currently carry the Housen surname.
The current bearer of the name will likely find relation to others of German descent, as it is still popular in the areas in which the Franks settled. The surname may also be connected to those who are of Scandinavian descent, as it ultimately comes from the Old Norse language. Those with the Housen name carry a history that is rich in many cultures.
Order DNA origin analysisHousen: Where does the name Housen come from?
The last name Housen isn’t particularly common today, but it does appear in regions around the world.
In the United States, the name is more common in the Northeast than the rest of the country. Most families with the last name Housen trace their ancestry back to a Dutch or German immigrant. The name has been especially common in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey since the 1850s, although records trace its use in the area back to the 1700s.
In Europe, the name is especially common in Belgium and the Netherlands. Families living in these countries are thought to trace their ancestry back to 18th century immigrants who came from Germany. It is also seen on some records in France.
The last name Housen is also found in India, primarily in the regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It is believed that the name was brought to the area by Dutch and German missionaries who arrived in the 1800s.
Overall, the last name Housen isn’t particularly common, but does appear in pockets of the world where Dutch or German immigrants settled.
Variations of the surname Housen
Housen is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. Variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin for the surname Housen include:
Hosen, Howsen, Howson, Housan, Housen, Housman, Howsden, Howesen, Howasin, Howason, Howessin, Howesin, Howesan, Howason, Howsman, Howeson,Howsmon, Houssin, Houison, and Howson.
Other variations in spelling have been obtained from misspellings of Housen, when it was recorded in various historical documents. It is likely that the surname was first derived from a place name. Housen is likely a phonetic variant of either Howesen or Hausen. These both have the same Anglo-Saxon root, from “hū”, meaning “hill”, and “sǣn”, meaning “grass” or “sedge”; thus, “hill of grass” or “hill of sedge”.
The variants of Housen are most commonly found in England and Scotland, where it is associated with the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire. It is also a fairly common surname in North America, particularly the US and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.
Various families bearing the Housen surname were among the early European settlers in the New World colonies of the 16th and 17th centuries. An early record relates to John Housen, an immigrant from England who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630. Another record relates to Robert Housen, who was registered as an immigrant to Barbados from Scotland in 1679.
Famous people with the name Housen
- Robert Housen, American musician, composer and arranger
- Dana M Housen, American actor
- Bill Housen, Canadian businessman, President & CEO of Ceridian Corporation
- B.J. Housen, American singer
- Karl Housen, Swiss historian and professor
- Larry Housen, American artist
- Chris Housen, English cricketer
- David Housen, American film and television producer
- Jeff Housen, American broadcaster, journalist, and entrepreneur
- Alan Housen, American basketball player