Surname Oetjen - Meaning and Origin
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Oetjen: What does the surname Oetjen mean?
The last name Oetjen is of German origin and is derived from the Old Norse elements ‘Oddi’ or ‘Ott’, which both mean ‘prosperity’ or ‘wealth’. Historically this surname referenced individuals who were successful in business or benefitted from a prosperous fortune. The name can also be traced back to the northern county of East Friesland in Germany and northern Denmark, where it was first found in old documents.
The use of this surname in America dates back to the mid-1800s, when immigrants of German heritage settled in the United States. It is more commonly found in the states of Missouri and Wisconsin. Bearers of this surname who settled in Missouri are descended from Friedrich Oetjen who, along with his brothers (Johann, Heinrich), immigrated to America in 1867.
Today, the Oetjen last name can be found throughout the world due to migrations of German people during the 18th and 19th centuries. The name is subject to varied spellings and pronunciations depending on the language and country of origin. Oetjen is not one of the most common surnames globally and is still spoken primarily in the same family lines in which it originated.
Order DNA origin analysisOetjen: Where does the name Oetjen come from?
The last name Oetjen is fairly common in Germany, with the highest number of people with the name living in the northern German states of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and Hamburg. However, the name Oetjen can also be found spread throughout Europe, with people bearing the name living in the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, and even Spain.
The name is particularly common in the United States as well, especially in the Midwest. Many people with the name Oetjen can be found in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. People bearing this name also have a heavy presence in Utah, California, and Texas.
It is likely that the people with this name today are descendants of German immigrants. The Oetjen name can be traced back to a powerful noble family in the Middle Ages who lived in northern Germany, around the areas of Bremen, Hannover, and Helmstedt. It is believed the family traces its roots back to the 5th century during the Germanic Migration Period.
Because of the wide distribution of this last name, it can be concluded that the name Oetjen is common in many countries throughout Europe and the United States today. However, it appears to have the highest concentration of numbers in northern Germany and the Midwest United States.
Variations of the surname Oetjen
The surname Oetjen (also spelled Oettjen, Oetjens, Oettjens, Oettjen) is a German surname. It derived from the name of a place named Oetjen in North Germany. The name in Old High German derived from "*ōd (mud) and *itinni (ditch or small stream)," and thus had the literal meaning "stream in marshy land."
The earliest know bearer of the surname was Lewe Oetjen, who was born in 1558 in Reddeber, Stade, Lower Saxony, Germany. Variations of the surname that have developed since the 16th century include Otjen, Oettering, Oetzinger, Ottinger, Oetting, Otting, Otzen, Otten, Otzmann, and Ottmann.
The most common variant of Oetjen is Oetjens. This variant may have arisen due to dialectal changes in the way the name was pronounced. This is known as the chancellor dialect and is spoken mainly in the Hanover and Oldenburg areas of high northwest Germany. Other variants of the surname, such as Oetting, Otzen, and Otten, are often found in North America.
In the United States, the surname is incredibly widespread, especially in the Midwest, especially in Indiana and Ohio. The surname is common among relatives of German immigrants who arrived in the 19th century. Additionally, it is also common among individuals from Belgium and the Netherlands due to its proximity to Germany.
Famous people with the name Oetjen
- Jana Oetjen: German model and television host
- Bas Oetjen: Dutch entrepreneur and photographer
- Arnold Oetjen: German politician
- Jake Oetjen: Australian radio presenter
- Abbie Oetjen: US-American soccer player
- Christian Oetjen: German theater and music scholar
- Martha Oetjen: German painter
- Meinolf Oetjen: German physicist
- Karl Oetjen: German physician and author
- Amelia Oetjen: Swiss theatre and drama scholar