Surname Philippen - Meaning and Origin
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Philippen: What does the surname Philippen mean?
The last name Philippen is a German and Dutch patronymic surname derived from the given name Philip, meaning "lover of horses". The personal name Philip is derived from the Greek name Philippos, composed of two elements: philos, meaning “friend” or “loving” and hippos, meaning “horse”. Therefore, Philippen literally means "lover of horses".
The Philippen surname is likely to have first become popular during the period of the patronymic system in Europe. This system, which linked a person’s surname to the name of their father, was most common in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this period many people adopted surnames for the first time or made slight changes to existing surnames – these modifications were often based on the personal name of the father for the purpose of identification.
Today, the Philippen surname is found most commonly in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, although it also has some presence in other countries, including the United States. While the surname was traditionally associated with horse lovers, today it is used by people with various professions and interests.
Order DNA origin analysisPhilippen: Where does the name Philippen come from?
The last name Philippen is most commonly found in Germany and the Netherlands. The surname originated in Germany, where it is believed to have been derived from either the given name Philipp, or from any of numerous place names beginning with Philipp- such as Philippsburg or Philippshain. In the Netherlands, the name is quite common and is often spelled Philippen or Philippien.
It is believed that this surname first came to be in the late 16th century in Germany and then later spread to some parts of the Netherlands. It is quite likely that the name was brought into the Netherlands by immigrants from Germany in the years that followed.
Today, Philippen is still a very common last name in both Germany and the Netherlands. It is quite common in the northern and eastern parts of Germany, especially in Thuringia and the surrounding regions. It is the 16th most common surname found in the Netherlands and is most prevalent in the provinces of Utrecht and Noord Brabant.
The Philippen surname is also known in some other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. It is particularly common in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin, where it is believed that the family came from the Netherlands in the late 19th century.
Variations of the surname Philippen
The surname Philippen is derived from the personal name Phillip and can also be spelled as Philippen, Philipps, Philipse, Philipsen, Philippens, Philippsz and Phillipen. All of these are Dutch variants of the same surname.
In the Netherlands, the surname ‘Phillips’ or ‘Phillipen’ also exists, stemming from an old Dutch spelling of the name Philip. It is believed to have initially been used as a patronymic (the practice of using the father's given name plus ‘en’ as the surname).
Phillips, which is the most common form of the surname in England and Wales, is also derived from Philip. The name became common in the 12th century as records from different countries describe people bearing the family name.
The surname Philipps is mainly found in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. This spelling is more common in Flanders and differs slightly from the Dutch version, where ‘ Philippens ‘ is more common.
Philippsz is a rare variation of the name and is found mainly in the Netherlands. It is a contraction of the original Philip plus the Dutch suffix ‘sz’, used to denote a relation or son or daughter of the original bearer of the Christian name.
Philipse is another surname derived from the personal name Philip. It was used by the aristocratic family Philipse as well as referring to the descendants of the Dutch settler Philip Philipse, who arrived in New Amsterdam (now New York) in the 17th century.
The surname Philippen is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Germany and the United States. Its variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin all stem from the given name Philip, and can be adapted for use in different countries and among different populations.
Famous people with the name Philippen
- Johann Philipp Philippen: German theologian and author of several books.
- Mark Philippen: Artist and painter of international renown based in the United States.
- Karl Philippen: German alpinist best known for his conquest of Matterhorn.
- Chris Philippen: Dutch entrepreneur who founded the consulting company Philippen Consulting in the Netherlands.
- Anna Philippen: Belgian writer and poet who won several awards for her literature.
- Poppe Philippen: Dutch botanist credited with cataloguing over 1000 species of flowering plants.
- Louis J. Philippen: American sailor and Medal of Honor recipient from the Spanish–American War.
- Faithdeer P. Philippen: Filipino journalist and media mogul best known in the Southeast Asia region.
- Peiter Philippen: Belgian ballet choreographer and internationally renowned dance instructor.
- Rein Philippen: German sculptor whose work has been widely exhibited across Europe and North America.