Surname Lenßen - Meaning and Origin

Lenßen: What does the surname Lenßen mean?

The last name Lenßen is of German origin. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was mainly associated with North German regions. The name was most likely derived from a German word meaning ‘lanes’, referring to streets or alleys between buildings.

Today, some Lenßen families have adopted variations of the last name, such as Lenssen, Lenze, and Lensen. It’s not uncommon to see the double-s (ß) character in spellings of this name.

In recent history, some members of the Lenßen family have achieved success in various fields. Norman Lenßen, a German entrepreneur and philanthropist, was a successful leader in the energy industry and provided generous donations to support medical research and the arts. Elisabeth Lenßen, a famous German artist, was well-known for her talent in oil paintings and her use of symbolism in her artwork.

The Lenßen family has seen numerous generations of successful business owners, educators, engineers, and even a few famous celebrities. While some are remembered for their professional accomplishments, others are remembered for their philanthropy. Regardless of their past successes, those with the Last name Lenßen carry on a rich family legacy.

Lenßen: Where does the name Lenßen come from?

The last name Lenßen is very common in Germany today. Statistics show that it is one of the top 100 surnames in Germany and is most prevalent in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Berlin.

Lenßen is a patronymic name derived from the personal name “Lenz”. A patronymic name is a surname derived from the father's name that is handed down through each generation. It is estimated that the name Lenßen began to appear around the 15th century in German census records, as many families began standardizing surnames as the population of the country grew.

The surname Lenßen can also be found in other countries like Norway and Holland, although it is much less common than it is in Germany. The first place that the name Lenßen is believed to have made an appearance outside Germany is in seminars, such as the Rotterdam Seminar of 1597. Here, the name is spelled as “Lenssen”.

Officially, the surname Lenssen is documented in the Netherlands and Norway however some records in the United States have also listed the Lenßen surname. It’s likely that the Lenßen surname made its way to the USA through German immigrants in the 1700s and 1800s.

Given its long history of appearing in Germany and the fact that it remains one of the top 100 surnames in the country, it’s safe to say that the Lenßen surname is here to stay.

Variations of the surname Lenßen

The surname Lenßen is a German patronymic surname derived from the personal name Bernhard, with various forms established in different parts of Europe over time.

Variants of the Lenßen surname include Lens, Lense, Lenses, Lenson, Lenzen, Lennen, Lensen, Leonce, Lessen and Lizarde.

The courses of these variants branches out, modified slightly, at various points in history. The variant Lens, for example, made its way to Northern Germany, Netherlands and even England. Lense and Lenses variants are more common in Northern Germany and the Netherlands. Lenson is found predominantly in the United States. Lenzen is from Central Germany and is also now found in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, Canada and Peru. Lennen is from Bavaria and is now found in Switzerland, Germany, the United States and Austria. Lensen is from the Netherlands and is currently found in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and the United States. Leonce is an altered spelling of the Lensen surname most likely from France, and is found in Germany, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and the United States. Lessen is from the Netherlands and is found in Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada. Lizarde is also an altered spelling of Lensen, most likely from Italy, and is found in Italy, the United States, Brazil and Argentina.

In sum, any variant of Lenßen indicate that a family with this last name has origins in Germany. Variations of the Lenßen surname have spread all over the world, allowing people of many countries to trace their roots back to the same origin.

Famous people with the name Lenßen

• Christian Lenßen: German television presenter and journalist
• Roland Lenßen: German pianist, composer, and arranger
• Holger Lenßen: German painter, sculptor, and curator
• Daniela Lenßen: German actress
• Frederike Lenßen: German television presenter and producer
• Wolfgang Lenßen: German former footballer
• André Lenßen: German professional ice hockey player
• Lotte Lenßen: German television presenter, producer, and actress
• Katja Lenßen: German journalist and television host
• Eric Lenßen: Belgian professional football goalkeeper

Other surnames

Lenßer