Surname Karstensen - Meaning and Origin
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Karstensen: What does the surname Karstensen mean?
The last name Karstensen is a patronymic surname deriving from the given name of Kaar or Kar, which is a Scandinavian variation of Karl. The suffix "-sen" is a patronymic marker meaning "son of" in Scandinavian countries.
The literal meaning of the name Karstensen is "son of Kar", which is a variation of the given name "Karl". This Old Germanic name is derived from the word "karlaz" which meant "free man". Historically, this name has been in use in Scandinavia since the Middle Ages.
The earliest known record of the name Karstensen dates back to 1570 in Holsten, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. From this earliest record, the name was found to spread across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Today, the surname is most frequently found in Scandinavia and northern Germany, with small occurrences in the United States and Canada.
Karstensen is a fairly common surname, but it is not as popular as some other Scandinavian last names. Those bearing the Karstensen name are believed to be strong and independent individuals who are loyal to their family and friends, dedicated to justice, and are willing to stand up for what is right.
Order DNA origin analysisKarstensen: Where does the name Karstensen come from?
The surname Karstensen is most common in Norway. The name is derived from the Old Norse personal name "Kårstin." The first recorded person to take the name Karstensen was probably one Karsten Allin who was a bailiff in the Bergenhus district of Norway in about 1525.
In more recent centuries, the name has spread to many countries across the globe. In Denmark, the name is derived from the nickname "Kårsten." The surname is also very common in Australia, with the earliest recorded person by the surname being James Karstensen who declared his intention of becoming a permanent inhabitant of Australia in 1854. It is also relatively common in the United States, with the 1920 United States census recording over 500 individuals bearing the surname Karstensen.
In 2020, Norway remains the country with the highest concentration of Karstensens, accounting for over 60% of all current people bearing the name. After Norway, the countries with the most common number of Karstensens are Denmark, the United States, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Germany and France.
Variations of the surname Karstensen
The surname Karstensen has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Karsen, Karsensteenn, Karsensteen, Karstens, Karstensdtr, Karstensen, Karstensensti, Karstensenstr, Karstensson, Karstensdatter, Karstensteen, Karstensteenn, and Karstenstr.
Karstensen is a patronymic surname, which means it is derived from the given name of the father of the initial bearer. This meant that the son of Karsten would have the last name Karstensen as a way to designate their heritage.
Karsten is a derivative of the name Christian, which is derived from the Greek name Christos, meaning "anointed." This was the given name of Jesus, so the name can be associated with religious references.
Karsen is the Danish variation of Karstensen that is most common. It is a surname derived from a place name, the small town of Karsemose. The spelling may also appear as Karson in some cases.
Karsensteenn is another variation that usually includes an extra letter n. Karstensteenn could also be interpreted as "son of Karsteenn" to demonstrate heritage.
Karstenstr is another variation of this surname that could designate someone from either Karsten or Karstensen's family. In this case, the str could refer to the person from this family or the place where the person originated.
Karstensdtr is a variation of the surname Karstensen that also places emphasis on heritage, as it includes the dtr for daughter, meaning someone of this family line.
Karstensson is the English variation of the patronymic surname. It includes the ending son, to denote son of Karsten.
Karstensdatter is a Norwegian variation that includes the ending datter, meaning daughter of Karsten.
Overall, the surname Karstensen can have many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Depending on the region, any of these variations could be used to describe someone from the same family line.
Famous people with the name Karstensen
- Mads Karstensen: Danish film director and screenwriter from Aarhus, Denmark.
- Joergen Karstensen: Danish professional cyclist who won gold medals at the 1981 European Track Championships and the 1982 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.
- Joergen Karstensen Jr: Danish professional cyclist and son of Joergen Karstensen who competed in professional cycling for Team Bridgestone Anchor and won the 1989 European Track Championships.
- Lise Karstensen: Danish fashion models, actress and singer who was a runway model for Gaultier and worked with Karl Lagerfeld.
- Peter Bach Karstensen: Danish pigeon racer and one of the most successful breeders in Denmark with multiple national championships.
- Jacob Karstensen: Danish Politician and Member of Parliament from 1972-76.
- Charlotte Karstensen: Danish TV presenter and documentary maker who presented the documentary series "Wild Scandinavia" for the National Geographic Channel.
- Steffen Karstensen: Danish ice hockey player and coach in the German DEL, Kölner Haie, and Danish SAS-Ligaen.
- Carsten Karstensen: Danish rower who won gold medals at the 1998 World Rowing Championships and 2000 Summer Olympics.
- Soeren Karstensen: Danish footballer who played in the Danish Superligaen for FC Copenhagen.