Surname Meinssen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Meinssen: What does the surname Meinssen mean?
The last name Meinssen is of German origin and is derived from the Old Germanic personal name Meinhard, which means ‘brave and hardy’. The name is likely to have been used as a nickname to distinguish a brave warrior or someone of strong character.
Today, the Meinssen surname is primarily found in the areas of northern Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Specifically, it is most commonly found in and around the regions of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony.
Meinssen is derived from the Old Germanic name and is an occupational surname for a farmer. It is believed that the people who bore the Meinssen name were engaged in agricultural activities from early times.
As the name evolved and spread across Europe, it may have been taken up by other families who had similar occupations or had some form of connection to the local or regional history.
The Meinssen surname can also be a patronymic surname — taken from the writer’s father’s personal name — for example: Meinssen, the son of Reinssen; Meinssen, the son of Meinhard; or Meinssen, the son of Maynard.
In summary, the last name Meinssen is of German origin and is derived from the Old Germanic personal name Meinhard. It is an occupational or patronymic surname which would have been used by families who were engaged in agricultural activities and/or had some historical connection to a local or regional area.
Order DNA origin analysisMeinssen: Where does the name Meinssen come from?
The name Meinssen is mainly concentrated in Germany today, especially in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the records of the Federal Central Register, the name is most frequently found in the cities of Bocholt, Bottrop and Coesfeld. In Germany there is also a Meinssen district covering parts of the Thuringian-Saxon border region, but relatively few people in the region appear to have the surname.
The name is also found in small numbers in other parts of Europe, with the highest concentrations in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Norway and Sweden. In the United States, people with the last name Meinssen are mostly of German descent, as the name is not common among other ethnic groups. Most of the Americans with the name came to the United States in the 19th century, originating from the same places in Germany as the Europeans.
The name Meinßen is also common in parts of Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, although the number is much smaller than what can be found in Europe and America. This is linked to the emigration of Europeans to these countries during the 19th and 20th centuries. While the name is still found in the countries mentioned, its presence is mainly concentrated in Germany.
Variations of the surname Meinssen
The surname Meinssen is an occupational surname deriving from the Middle High German 'Mennise', meaning 'farmer'. Variants of the surname Meinssen include Meins, Meinz, Meinsohn, Meinzer, Meinster, Meinhardt, Mynssen, Meintsen, Meintsma, Mainz, Meinstes, Meinke, Meincke, Meiners, Meineman, Meinsen, Meinel, Mainsel, Meinersen, Maynz, Meiner, Meinere, Meinsohne, Meinentz, Meinjen and Mainssen.
The Meinssen surname also appears in the form of variants of its first letter, as Mainsen, Minesen, Meinssen, Neinssen, Meiensen and Meinsen. Some international versions of the surname include Mineau (France), Mimensen (Norway) and MENSA (Africa).
The Meinssen surname is especially common in northern Germany and the Netherlands. It is also found in Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland and parts of Scandinavia. Whilst the origin of the name is German, due to immigration from Germany in the 19th century, many Meinssen families are now found outside Europe, especially in the United States and Canada.
The Meinssen surname is sometimes anglicised to Mains, Mayns and Meyns. The variations of the surname are often used interchangeably, due to their close pronunciation and spelling.
Famous people with the name Meinssen
- Helge Meinssen: German actor
- Jan Meinssen: Dutch farmer
- Peter Meinssen: German playwright
- Christoph Meinssen: German poet
- Erich Meinssen: German actor
- Anna Meinssen: German singer, songwriter and musician
- Max Meinssen: German chess player
- Helmut Meinssen: German tennis player
- Rainer Meinssen: German chef
- Lydia Meinssen: German journalist
- Wilma Meinssen: German writer
- Walter Meinssen: German physician
- Ton Meinssen: Dutch businessman
- Poul Meinssen: Danish veterinarian
- Hermann Meinssen: German author
- Fred Meinssen: Dutch trumpeter
- Marieke Meinssen: Dutch writer
- Peter Meinssen: Italian musician
- Wiard Meinssen: Dutch landscape painter
- Iza Meinssen: Dutch cyclist